For The Love of a Greaser
by KittyoftheNight
Summary: My name is Abigail Winters and I've fallen for a Greaser, but what's so wrong with that, especailly when technically I'm a Greaser myself. Who knew that one fight at a dinner would be all it took to bring two people together.Better than it sounds trust me
1. Ch 1: Diner Nightmare

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 1**

**Abigail and the Dinner Nightmare**

I let out a sigh as I sat there in bed, my knees pulled up to my chest and my head in my arms. It was another average day in Tulsa, but there were still so many things that needed to be done. The roof needed fixing, the same with the showerhead in the bathroom, even the kitchen sink. It was like the whole house was trying to fall apart on me. Even worse, I didn't make that much money and I had to support both my sister and myself. I mean, what can you expect when you're a waitress at a diner? Next thing I knew, I heard my sister call for me.

"Abigail, we're out of milk," she called from the kitchen.

"Great, just great," I groaned as I threw myself out of bed.

I looked over at the clock resting on my nightstand. It read 10:23. It was then that I realized that Eden was supposed to be at school already and had no apparently reason for still being at home. It was already bad enough that she skipped a day of school last week and now this. With that in mind I went over to my dresser and pulled out a pair of old faded jeans. I'd had them for about four years now and was in desperate need of new ones, but good jeans like these were hard to come by. Although, I suppose jeans were also the way to tell the difference between a Greaser and a Soc. People like us couldn't afford the nicer things like Socs. Socs were always dressed up real nice, while we were lucky to have what we had. I didn't have the money to go out and spend on nicer things. I was lucky to have what I did and that was about it. If I did spend money on something like that, then it definitely wasn't for me. No, if I did, then it was for Eden. With Eden in mind, I walked out of my room, pulling my light blue shirt over my head.

"Eden," I started as I walked down stairs, tucking my shirt in a bit like I normally did. "Why aren't you at school right now?" I asked curiously as I came to stand in the opening of the kitchen, my back against the frame of the door way and my arms crossed over my chest.

"Um, well, you see," she stuttered nervously.

It was obvious that she hadn't thought things through properly. She always did this and I didn't know why. She never thought things through properly. She was definitely nervous though upon realizing that she'd been caught.

"That's what I thought," I said, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a cup from the counter. "Get to school, okay?" I told her, watching as she up and ran right passed me, a piece of toast in her mouth.

"Bye sis," she called, quickly grabbing her bag and running out the door.

After I heard the door close behind her, I went over to the fridge and pulled out the carton of orange juice. It wasn't my favorite, but I knew that it would have to do for now. After that, I collapsed in the chair, resting my forehead against the cold top of the table.

If things kept going the way that they were at the moment, then I didn't know what we'd do. I didn't have to make any payments on the house, but we still had plumbing and electric to pay for. I still had this weeks groceries to buy and I wasn't sure how much longer we could wait on the roof. We already had plenty of water damage from last weeks rain and we were supposed to get even more sometime this week. There were even a few cracks in the ceiling from the weight.

"It's going to be a long week," I said with a sigh, before downing my juice.

T

I was about done with my shift when the bell on the door rang, the sound echoing through the diner and alerting me that we had another customer. It was a couple of guys, Greasers to be precise. Now, I don't have anything against Greasers per say, but I've still had troubles with some. There were always a few in particular that were causing problems, but from what I could tell, these two would be just fine. Besides, technically, I was a Greaser myself I guess. When I took a better look, I found that they were a couple of kids, maybe 14 years old at best. They were probably Eden's age to be honest, since she was only 14.

"Hello, my name's Abigail, how may I help you boys this evening?" I asked kindly as I came to stand in front of their booth.

They both looked up at me for a moment, barely taking enough time to contemplate their orders. The youngest one from what I could tell anyway spoke first.

"I'll have a burger and a Coke if you please miss," he said politely, turning to his friend a moment later. "What about you Johnny?" he asked.

"I'll have the same and some fries too if you don't mind miss," his friend Johnny said quietly, his bangs falling into his face a bit.

"I'll be right back then," I said with a small smile, before turning around and going behind the counter to get their drinks.

I put the order on the turner and spun it around for the cook to see, then I began filling the boys glasses with Coke. I didn't get very far though before the bells rang again, this time bringing in a bunch of Socs.

"Great, just what I needed," I muttered to myself, placing the kids' drinks on a serving tray.

The last time that I had a bunch of Socs in here, I nearly lost a weeks worth of pay for something that _I _started. I mean what a load of bull crap. Greaser, Soc, it doesn't seem to matter really. Something stupid always seems to happen when I'm around. Maybe I just don't have very good luck, I don't know. All I know is that I'm tired of all of the crap.

"Hey Abs, why don't ya come over here with us and let those Greasers get their own food," one of them called.

"That's Abigail to you buddy. Now, leave me be and wait your turn," I warned, walking back over to the two kids sitting over at the booth.

"Hey now, that's no way to treat a customer Abs," the guy said, walking over and grabbing me by the arm just as I sat the drinks down on the table.

"Get your damn hands off me Rodney!" I spat, pulling away from him and nearly dropping him to the floor in the process.

"Hey, leave her alone!" Johnny's friend yelled, standing up and shoving Rodney away from me.

Rodney didn't seem to like this very much and got up in the kids face, shoving him back into the table and knocking the drinks over in the process. Now I had something else that I had to clean up.

"Standing up for your little Greaser girlfriend?" Rodney taunted, shoving the kid again.

"Just leave her alone, okay?" the kid tried, standing between the two of us.

"Order up!" the cook call from the kitchen, the food being sat on the counter as he hit the little bell.

It was as if the bell was their cue to start fighting and before I knew it, fists were flying and a fight broke out.

I had to duck out of the way as a glass was thrown, the pieces flying all over the place. Part of it hit me, making a nice sized cut right above my eye. A few minutes later, someone was thrown through the window of the diner. I ran and hid behind the counter as people went flying and I nearly screamed when one of the Socs were sent flying toward me. I kicked the guy in the face when he made a grab for me, but for that he nearly broke my wrist.

_Why does this stuff always happen to me?_ I thought to myself, groaning out loud at the same time.

Then in the back, I saw one of Rodney's friends pull out a knife. I thought only Greasers carried those on them, but I guess I was wrong. I then jumped up when I saw him try to go after the kid that had tried helping me.

"Kid, watch out!" I yelled, reaching out and grabbing him by the arm.

I barely pulled him away in time and we went crashing down to the floor. I then pulled him toward me, covering his head with my arms as a glass shattered above our head, shielding him from it.

"Thanks," he nearly choked out, before trying to stand back up.

"No you don't, you're staying right here. I'm not having you get killed because these idiots want to start a fight," I told him, staring him straight in the eyes.

It was like he'd seen this look plenty of times before and decided to stay put, much to my delight.

"Now, before anything else happens, why don't you tell me your name kid," I said, letting my eyes flicker back and forth between him and everyone else.

"The name's Ponyboy, Ponyboy Curtis," he said, holding his hand out.

I shook it, putting on a small smile.

"Nice to officially meet you Pony Boy. Now, I want you to stay here behind the counter, alright?" I told him, making sure that he did what I told him, before crawling toward the back.

I nearly cried out when I felt a piece of glass go into my hand. I was so lucky that I was allowed to wear jean here. That thought soon left my mind though when I made it to the kitchen door, pushing it open with my other hand. I let out a scream though when a bat came flying toward me.

"Damn it Joe, it's me!" I cried, moving out of the way before it hit me.

It was then that he started apologizing like crazy. Apparently, he figured that I was one of the guys trying to get back to the kitchen and cause problem. I couldn't really blame him though, I probably would have done the same thing to be honest. Although, I still didn't appreciate having a baseball bat flying at me though.

"When did you call the cops?" I asked quickly, opening the door a crack to look back out at the diner.

A glass came flying and shattered against the door a second later causing me to jump back.

_I hope that Ponyboy's alright_, I thought to myself.

T

About two hours later there was nothing else that I could do, but sigh. I barely managed to convince the cops to keep Johnny and Ponyboy out of jail, explaining to them half a dozen times what had happened and who had started everything. I couldn't believe how stupid people could be, that and the fact that about half of the Socs bought their way out of a night or two in a jail cell. I mean, they had destroyed private property, assaulted innocent people, not to mention scaring the crap out of the owner of the diner and myself. First, I had to worry about my sister. Second, I had to go to work and then deal with a bunch of Socs. Third, well, I'm walking two kids home after the cops had been called to break up the fight.

Nothing was ever easy anymore, not since Mom died.

"You know, you really don't have to walk us home Miss Abigail," Ponyboy said, rubbing the back of his neck.

I just shook my head though. There was no way that I was going to let those two boys walk home alone, not after what happened earlier at the dinner. No, I'd walk them home to make sure that nothing happened. Granted, you'd think that they'd be walking me home for the same reason, but still.

"Don't worry about it kid. Besides, you two helped me out and I think it's only fair that I get you cleaned up Ponyboy. I mean, what would your family think?" I told him as I ruffled his hair in a friendly manner. "And call me Abby, okay? After what you two did, there's no need to be so formal. Same goes to you Johnny."

I smiled to myself at this, leaving them with no choice really, but to call my Abby.

"Hey Ponyboy, do ya mind if I stay at your house tonight?" Johnny asked as he walked beside Ponyboy.

"Sure. In fact, you can stay in my room tonight Johnny. I'm sure that Darry won't mind," Ponyboy said.

"Darry, is he your brother?" I asked curiously, coming to walk beside the two of them.

"Yeah, him and Soda. Soda works up at the gas station and Darry roofs houses," he told me, before digging into his pocket and pulling out a cigarette.

"Wait, your brother roofs houses?" I asked, wanting to make sure that I heard right.

"Yeah, that's what I said. Why, is there something wrong with that?" he asked curiously, slightly worried that perhaps I didn't approve.

"Oh, no, no. You see, I've been trying to find someone that could fix my roof and I think you might have just solved my problem," I told him.

He seemed relieved upon hearing this, though I didn't really know why.

T

15 minutes later I was sitting there in his house on the couch cleaning him up. He had a few cuts that were pretty good. It amazed me the fight that he put up against those other guys, him and Johnny both. They were both pretty tough kids, but it was obvious that neither of them was the fighting time. Ponyboy in particular seemed like the gentle type to be honest, which made me wonder what the rest of his family were like. Normally, Greasers were the fighting type, then again, that was also stereotypical too. Take me for instance, I'm technically a Greaser, but I don't fight unless I have to. Plus, it's normally fighting for my sister's sake then my own. I was about done with Ponyboy when someone came in through the front door, the sound of it closing behind them causing me to pull my eyes away from Ponyboy.

"What in the hell happened to you Ponyboy?" came the man's voice as he walked over and inspected the kid.

I stood up and moved out of his way so that he could look him over. He was tall and definitely well built. With that in mind, I concluded that it must be Ponyboy's brother, Darry.

"You must be his brother," I started, catching his attention to where he turned back toward me.

"Yes, Ma'am. The name's Darrel, but you can call me Darry," he said, holding his hand out.

I took it, shaking it. He had a strong grip, that was for sure. Then again, in his line of work it should be expected.

"My name's Abigail Winters. You can call me Abby if you wish," I told him, bowing my head slightly. "You should be proud of your brother," I said, gesturing my hand toward Ponyboy.

"And why is that?" he asked, seeming a bit skeptical.

"Well… let's just say that there's a few Socs at my diner that can't seem to keep their hands to themselves," I said bitterly, annoyed at the thought of Rodney.

Darry seemed to get the picture, seeming a bit miffed his own self at hearing what I said. He obviously didn't agree with the Socs actions.

Soon though, Ponyboy took notice to my own wounds and scratches, getting up to stand next to me.

"You know Miss Abigail, you should really get that looked at," Ponyboy said.

"Yeah," Johnny pitched in.

I just shook my head though. First off, I really didn't have the time, nor a car to do such a thing.

"I don't have the money to be going to the hospital for something like this. Besides, I should be getting home. Eden's been by herself for far too long tonight," I told him getting ready to leave.

It was then that Darry grabbed me by the arm, keeping me from leaving. All that I could do was turn back around to look at him, a questionable look on my face.

"Why don't you let me take a look at you, see if I can't fix you up a bit?" he offered.

I stood there for a moment, hesitating, unsure of what to do. After a moment or two longer though, I nodded my head, agreeing to the offer.

"If you're sure," I started, only to be stopped by Darry.

"I'm positive. After everything you did for Pony, it's the least I can do for ya," he assure me, before turning back to Ponyboy. "Ponyboy, why don't you go upstairs and get ready for bed, you've got school in the morning," Darry said, watching as his brother ran upstairs with Johnny.

It made me laugh a bit though at how quick Ponyboy ran out of the room. This caused Darry to turn his eyes back toward me again.

"He seems like a pretty good kid," I said, allowing Darry to pull me down onto the couch with him.

We still had the first aid kit out, so he just started pulling things out and sitting them down on the coffee table.

"He is, when he's not in fights that is," he told me.

"He doesn't seem the type to start fights though," I admitted.

"That's because he's not. If he was, I'd kick his butt right into next week, same with Soda. I already have enough to deal with, so they know better," he told me, putting a bit of peroxide on a cotton ball, and placing above my why.

I hissed in pain as he did this, causing him to pull back for a moment.

"Sorry," he apologized, before pressing it back against my skin again.

You'd think that I'd be used to this by now, but I wasn't. I've dealt with it quite a few times these past four years and this was just another tally on the wall.

"So, do you have to do this often?" I asked, referring to the fact that he was cleaning me up.

"Every now and then, but enough. Either that or I'm fixing someone else up," he told me as he put a bit of ointment on the spot.

I didn't really mind that much since it didn't hurt. I was more surprised though at how gentle he was being. Working with roofs, I would think he'd be a bit more rough when it came to his hands. Then again, I suppose that he had his moments just like the rest of us.

"Your brother tells me that you work in the roofing business," I said off handedly, just trying to keep our small conversation going.

He seemed to perk up a bit at my statement though, obviously catching his interest.

"Yes Ma'am. Why, do you need some work done?" he asked.

"Actually, yes I do. In fact, we've been needing someone to work on the roof for a few months now," I told him.

"Why now then?" he asked curiously, obviously wondering why I hadn't done something about it sooner.

I just scratched the back of my head nervously. I wasn't exactly proud of my job. I mean, I never even tried to go to college because I had to worry about Eden.

"Well, like I said, I work at a dinner so I don't make much," I said, catching him off guard a bit.

"I'd imagine that you make plenty in tips though?" he inquired.

"Well, it doesn't do much when I have to take care of my sister…" I said quietly.

When I said this he seemed to understand perfectly, inclining his head in a respectful manner.

"I see what you mean. I've been looking after Soda and Ponyboy for a while now. It's not easy I tell ya," he said, opening up a bit.

"Well, my dad left when I was 16, so I've been looking after Eden for the last four years now. I was lucky to manage finishing high school to be honest," I said begrudgingly, but it wasn't toward Eden, it wasn't her fault.

I was more upset with my father. He just up and left one day, leaving us behind and on our own. All I know is that after Mom died, he just started drinking all the time. I had to make sure to keep Eden away because I didn't want her to see Dad like that. I didn't want her around all of the alcohol. I even remember a few times I would leave the house some nights with her and we would stay in the park until I knew our father would be asleep.

I hadn't heard what Darry had said, so the next thing I knew, I was biting my tongue in pain as he pulled a bit of glass out of my hand. He soon apologized though, getting up and grabbing a wash cloth, coming back and pressing it to the palm of my hand.

"I really am sorry Miss Abigail, but I did warn you," Darry said as he cleaned my hand up.

I just shook my head dismissively. It wasn't his fault, I was the idiot that wasn't watching where I was crawling earlier, not him. The only thing I did do though was watch him as he wrapped my hand up, making sure that it wasn't too tight, but still tight enough that it wouldn't come loose.

"I think that ought to do it for now," he said, standing up after placing everything back inside the little tin.

I stood up as well, wincing when I placed pressure on my hand. I hate it when I hurt my hands, I really do.

"Well, I should be getting home now. Thank you for your help Darrel," I said, a friendly smile on my face as I walked toward the door.

"Let me at least give you a ride home," he said.

"No, it's alright, really," I said, not wanting to bother him with it. "Besides, I only live a couple streets down, I'll be fine," I assured him.

"Then let me walk you home then Miss Abigail. Trust me, it's not safe at night to be walking around alone," he informed me, walking toward the door. "Those Socs seem to be a problem as of late around here," he persisted, making an obvious point.

At that, I really couldn't say no. After all, what would Eden do if something were to happen to me?

_It couldn't hurt. Heck, I could show him the house then, _I thought to myself.

"Alright, I see your point, and at least then you'll know where I live," I concluded, remembering the fact that he could help me with the roof.

**Ok everyone, this is my first Outsiders story, so be nice. I have many other stories besides this that you might like such as ones for X-MEN (Gambit), FINAL FANTASY 7 (Vincent and Chaos), ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THEIVES (Will Scarlet), LABYRINTH (Jareth), and MORE! :) Just check out my PROFILE for all my stuff. Also, please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me. I really REALLY want to know what everyone thinks of this story. I've had it in my head for a long time and have finally decided to start writing it. I always love feedback. Thanks everyone! :)**


	2. Ch 2: Checking The Roof?

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 2**

**Checking the Roof?**

**Trying Falling Through It**

The next morning I awoke to the sound of knocking at my front door. When I got up and looked out my window, I found Darry standing at my front door and his truck parked out in front of my house.

"I'll be right down!" I called, shutting my window and going over to my dresser.

I grabbed my jeans from the dresser and pulled them on, hopping around a bit in the process. I then grabbed my red sleeveless shirt and pulled it on before running down the stairs. That was my first mistake of the morning as missed the second to last step and feel, tumbling down to the floor on my back.

"Ow…" I groaned out, laying there for a moment.

"Are you alright in there?" Darry called from behind the door.

The only thing that I could do was say yes as I rolled myself over and got up. At least I made a decent first impression I guess. With that in mind I went to the door, turning the lock and opening it. Darry stood there rubbing the back of his neck, a slightly awkward smile on his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked, coming inside once I moved out of the way.

"Yeah, I'll be fine…in a hour or two," I muttered at the end, turning back around and going to the refrigerator. "Please, make yourself at home," I told him, gritting my teeth as I did it to try and hide the pain.

A sore back and head was the last thing that I needed.

"You sure that you're alright?" came Darry's voice.

I turned my head to find him standing in the doorway to the kitchen, a look of concern on his face. I just waved it off, grabbing a bottle of aspirin off the top of the fridge. Darry came over with a skeptical look on his face, before going and taking the bottle out of my hands.

"Hey, give it back!" I cried, jumping to try and get it back, but only ended up wincing pain as he held it out of reach. "Ow…" I groaned. "Okay, okay, you win," I said with a sigh.

Seemingly satisfied with my answer, Darry sat the bottle down on the counter, allowing me to snatch it up and pop open the lid. I grabbed to aspirin and popped them in my mouth, grabbing a glass and turning the sink on. I was met with an onslaught of water as it sprayed me in the face.

Glaring, I went over to the fridge and pulled out the carton of orange juice, twisting the lid off and taking a swig.

"This house hates me," I said bitterly, screwing the lid back on and nearly tossing the carton back in the fridge.

"It can't be that bad," Darry tried to argue.

I just turned toward him, a dry look on my face.

"Darry," I started, taking a few steps toward him. "I haven't been able to take a proper shower in over a month because the water doesn't stream out properly," I told, walking past him and up the steps.

I then walked into the bathroom and turned the sink on. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, groaning at what I saw. My hair was a bit of a mess, though I could have cared less about that. What I did care about was the face that I had rings under my eyes at this point. I just splashed water onto my face, scrubbing a bit, before grabbing a towel and drying my face off.

"You look tired," Darry said as I came back down the steps, the wood creaking under my feet.

"I don't sleep well anymore," I told him, this time being careful not to miss the steps.

It was true though, I didn't sleep well anymore, I haven't in a long time. Most times when I do I have nightmares, either that or I'm always waking back up to check on Eden and make sure that she's sleeping okay. I nearly drive myself to exhaustion at times even because of it. It was even worse before Dad left. I was always worried for Eden. I was never really worried for myself, always Eden.

"So, where would you like to get started?" I asked, moving to slip my shoes on.

After this, I had to go to the store anyway. We still needed more milk and I had to pick up the groceries.

"Well, do you have a ladder?" he asked, his tool belt laying on top of his shoulder.

"Actually, I do, and you're lucky since that's probably the only decent thing in this whole house," I said, tying up my shoelaces.

Once I was done with that, I went around back, pulling the ladder out of our little shed. I didn't realize that Darry was so close, so I nearly hit him with the ladder by accident. He caught it though, stopping it from hitting him in the head.

"I'm so sorry," I said frantically, trying my best to apologize.

"Don't worry, you're fine," he assured me, taking the ladder from my hands and carrying it back toward the house.

I just stood there watching him walk away, almost dumbfounded for some reason or another. I guess I just expected him to be made like most others got after something like that, but after being around him and Ponyboy last night I knew that that wasn't the case. When I realized how far ahead of me he actually was, I ran after him, following behind him at a safe distance to make sure I wouldn't get hit with the ladder like I did with Darry.

"First I'm going to have to check the roof over and then we'll go from there, alright?"

I nodded my head in response, watching him as he sat the ladder down against the house and started climbing up. I held the ladder still as he went up though, seeing it wobble a bit. I definitely didn't want him falling, that was for sure.

"I'm going to go back inside for a minute, I'll be right back!" I called up to him.

"That's fine," he called back, starting his examination of the roof.

I went inside and back up stairs to my room. I could hear the roof creak as Darry walked around, making me a bit wary. It was already bad enough that I had a spot in my ceiling where water dripped from after each rain. I even had a tin can in my room that collected the water and kept it off of the floor. The thought itself irritated me as I pulled a jar out from under my bed. It was filled with change and bills, it was all that I had. Just as I was taking a few bills out though, I heard the sound of something cracking, only to look up and find Darry coming through the ceiling.

"Oh my Lord… Darry, are you alright!" I shouted as his lower half hung from my ceiling, his legs moving around and kicking as he tried to get free.

"I'll be fine if I can get out," I heard him say.

_Never thought this would be the first time I had a guy in my room,_ I thought to myself, my own ironic joke.

I then turned to my dresser, going over and pulling it. I pulled it right under Darry too.

"I'm going to try and help you out okay? Just don't kick me!" I yelled, climbing up on top of my dresser and positioning myself underneath him.

From there, I grabbed hold of his leg and starting pushing upward, trying to help give him enough leverage to get out of the hole that he'd gotten himself into.

T

It took about five minutes for old Darry to work himself loose, but he couldn't have done it without Abigail's help, and he was very grateful. Once he was free he came right down off of the roof, making sure to brush himself off.

Abigail came running out a moment later looking a bit frazzled, but he couldn't really blame her. No doubt, he gave her quite the scare when he came through the roof. Heck, if he was honest about the whole thing, he'd actually scared himself too. He'd fallen through roofs before, but that one definitely took the cake.

"Are you alright Darry?" Abigail asked, watching as he rolled his shoulder a bit, trying to work out the pain.

"I'll be fine. I've had worse, trust me," he assured her. "Do you mind if I take a few aspirin though?" he asked, only to have her shove him and go back inside.

He couldn't help, but to laugh a bit. Then again, he supposed that he deserved it. After all, he did scare her and put a hole through her roof, but she didn't seem mad at him surprisingly enough.

T

I scowled at him when he laughed, but it wasn't exactly in a mean way though. I mean, he had scared the crap out of me when he came through the roof the way that he did. I had been really worried about him when it had happened, not about the roof, but him. I don't know why I was worried since I knew he was a strong guy, but still, I couldn't help it. So with a sigh, I grabbed the bottle of aspirin and threw it to him, watching as he caught it in mid air.

"Thanks," he breathed out, opening it and pouring a couple into his large hand, continuing his way to the kitchen.

I just sat down in the chair, resting my arms on the table along with my head. A moment later though, I heard Darry let out a startled sound and turned around, finding his whole front wet. I couldn't help, but to start laughing. Apparently, he forgot what happened earlier.

"Let me get you a towel," I said between breaths, getting up from my seat and going upstairs.

I came back down to find that he'd taken off his button up shirt, leaving in a white beater. It clung to his chest with how wet it was, showing off his muscles. Now, I could definitely tell that he was well built.

"I'm really sorry Darry, I should have reminded you," I said with a laugh.

He just shrugged, taking the towel from my outstretched hand and started patting himself down, trying his best to dry his shirt. It didn't seem to do much good though, but he still kept trying.

"Soda's never going to let me live this one down," Darry chuckled before looking up at me.

Now it was my turn to make a decision. Although, I didn't really know what to do, so I just said the first thing that came into mind.

"Hey Darry, would it be too much to ask for a ride up to the store?" I asked, my eyes shying away a bit.

I wasn't used to asking thing like that of people and I'm sure he has plenty to do. Then again, you don't know til you ask. The worst he could do was say no.

"I don't see why not. Besides, I need to pick up a case of beer anyway. Those kids just about run me out of house and home," he told me, running a hand through his hair to get a bit of water out.

"Your brothers can't be that bad though," I said, pretty sure that they weren't.

Hell, I'm sure that Darry makes far more money than I do even though he's looking out for his brothers and all. Me, I barely make enough money for my own self at times and yet I'm feeding two people.

"No, not them, we've got a problem with freeloads," he told me, though I caught a bit of a joking tone in his voice amongst the seriousness of it all. "Steve and Two-Bit are always coming around and taking our food," he told me.

"I'd be kicking someone out right quick if that happened here," I said, turning my eyes toward him. "Then again, we've never actually had anyone over here anyway," I told him, folding my arms behind my head for a moment.

I then turned back toward the steps, placing my hand on the railing, the smoothness of the wood meeting the sensitive skin of my hand.

"I just have to grab some money real quick," I told him, before going up them once more and into my room.

The jar was still where I left it on my bed, a few bills laid out upon the bed sheet. I didn't pay much attention to it though as I scooped them up and shoved them into my pocket, screwing the lid back onto the glass jar and placing it back underneath my bed. I made sure to shove it back all the way against the wall so that no one would see it. I mean, it's not that I don't trust my sister, but stuff has come up missing at times and there was never an explanation for it. Pushing that out of my mind though, I walked out of my room, closing the door behind me as I started down the steps.

"Alright, I'm ready. Are you sure you don't mind doing this though Darry?" I asked.

"I'm sure," he told me, before turning around and walking out my door.

I followed after him, locking the door behind me. When I turned around, I saw him pulling stuff out of the passenger seat of his truck and throwing it in the back of it. I noticed the light shade of blue that painted it, the paint chipping off in areas, while others were covered in rust. It still didn't look too bad though.

"I think that should do it," Darry said as he turned around to face me, holding the door open for me.

He was so nice. I now see where Ponyboy got his manners from. Darry was definitely a well mannered young man, and the more time I spent around him, I'd have to say a gentleman. That in itself was rare for me.

"Thank you," came the sound of my own voice, which sounded a bit on the shy side.

I wasn't used to people being so kind to me, yet here he was, doing just that.

T

"Darry, really, I've got it," I told him, doing my best to hold onto both bags of groceries in my arms.

He just kept pestering me though as went back to the car, before finally getting close enough to grab one out of my hands. He walked straight to the truck after that, placing the bag in the bed of the truck. I followed suit, before getting in the truck, closing the door behind me. I was still surprised at how comfortable the seats were. They felt so good against my back.

"Comfortable?" he asked, causing me to jump slightly.

"Oh, yes, very much so," I said quietly, closing my eyes and leaning back against the seat.

I just sat there quietly, listening to the sound of the engine as he pulled the truck out and away from the store. I could feel the slight pull of my body as the truck turned and the feeling of the cool air blow against me as Darry turned on the A/C.

It felt so nice, especially because it was so hot outside today. It was supposed to get a bit colder this week though, but I wasn't really worried about that at the moment.

"So…" Darry started, keeping his eyes on the road. "How exactly did you and Ponyboy meet?" he asked, curious as to how I came to meet his brother.

"Well, like I told you last night, a guy couldn't keep his hands to himself," I said quietly.

"There's more to it than just that though I'm sure," he said, his eyes glancing over at me every few moments or so.

"Rodney and his friends have been causing trouble for me since June last year," I told him, glancing down at my wrist to where the bruise was from last night's scuffle. "He's mad because I won't go out with him. Personally, I think he's an ass," I said bitterly, rubbing my wrist.

Darry caught sight of this and grabbed the back of my hand, pulling it toward him to get a better look at it once we got to a stop light. He didn't seem very happy at the sight of blue that clouded my normally light colored skin.

"Who did this?" he asked, glancing down at my wrist.

"I don't know… I think it was David," I said quietly my hand away and resting it in my lap.

I had issues with guys touching me at times, even though I know that Darry didn't mean any harm by it, but still.

"Wait, not David Hamond?" he asked, the tone in his voice suggesting that he hoped he was wrong.

"Yeah. Someone pretty much threw him at me and I wound up kicking him in the face. Bastard nearly broke my wrist," I told him, a feeling of bitterness welling up inside me.

"So, Ponyboy got his butt kicked for standing up for you then?" he suspected, pressing on the gas and moving the truck forward.

"He's definitely the righteous young man," I praised. "In fact, that's the reason why him and Johnny weren't spending the night in a jail cell with everyone else."

"What?" he nearly choked out, turning his head away from the road for a moment.

"I made it a point to the officer that Ponyboy and Johnny had nothing to do with it, that they were defending me while I was being harassed on the job," I explained.

Things stayed quiet for the next few minutes, not a single word being spoken until we reach my house. From there, he merely got out and grabbed my bags from the back, carrying them to the door as I followed behind him. He moved out of the way easily once we reached the door, allowing me to put the key in and unlock it.

I held the door open for him, allowing him to come inside and set everything down in the kitchen on the table. He then started helping me put things away, easily reaching the tall cabinets above my head. Before I knew it, everything was put away and I was left feeling hungry.

_Hungry,_ I thought to myself, a smile slowly forming on my face as an idea popped into my head.

"Hey Darry?" I called from the kitchen

"Hm?" he asked, sitting there on the couch looking through his tool belt for a moment.

"How would you feel about a sandwich?" I asked, peaking my head out of the kitchen.

He looked up at me automatically, a smile starting to tug at his lips.

"A sandwich sounds nice," he nodded, standing up from the couch and walking toward the kitchen.

"One sandwich coming up," I said, sounding the way that I normally did when taking orders at the diner.

It's funny how your job always seems to follow you home. It's something that I realized quite some time ago, whether it's my problems or work habits, they still managed to follow me home.

**Okay everyone, here's chapter 2. I'm sorry it wasn't longer, but I got sick agian and am unable to write properly. I really wanted to get it put out today and that's why it's here, even though it's a bit shorter than I would have liked. Please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me. I would really appreciate it. As long as I'm feeling better tomorrow, I'll likely start work on the next chapter. Either that or I will come back and add to this one, so keep an eye out everyone. Also, check out my PROFILE for other stories that you might like. Thanks everyone and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. See, I told you it would be better than the summary.**


	3. Ch 3: Introducing Eden

**For the Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 3**

**Introducing Eden**

"Okay, I hope you like ham and cheese," I said, placing two plates down on the kitchen table.

Darry was already sitting down at this point. We were both ready to eat. I paused for a moment though as I went back over to the refrigerator, looking inside at what I had. I spotted a couple bottles of Coke at the back. I then looked over my shoulder at Darry, whom was already starting to eat his sandwich, not a single crumb falling onto the floor or table.

"Hey Darry, would you like something to drink?" I asked, turning around with the Coke bottles in my hand, raising them up for him to see.

"If you please Ma'am," he said, his lips tugging into a small smile as I sat a bottle down in front of him.

"Don't call me Ma'am…" I said quietly, sitting down at the table across from him. "Besides, if I had to guess, we're about the same age," I told him. "Let me guess, 21, 22?"

"22. What about you?" he asked, taking a drink of his Coke.

"20. That means just call me Abigail or Abby, okay?" I asked, hoping to get my point across.

I smiled a bit when he nodded, sitting his Coke back down on the table.

"Alright then, Abigail."

T

It wasn't much longer after eating that Darry went back up onto the roof, this time being extra careful where he stepped. He even took his tools up with him along with a bit of material to patch up the mess that he had made, but not before apologizing again.

While he took care of the mess on the roof, I took care of the mess in my room, picking up and throwing the debris into a garbage bag. He had made quite a mess, but nothing that I couldn't deal with. Once I was done with that, I crawled under my bed, pulling out the jar of money. I just stared at it for a moment before placing it on my bed, unscrewing the top and dumping it out on the sheet.

I hadn't even noticed as I counted it out that the hammering on the roof had practically come to a stop. I just continued to sit there counting it, placing aside money for Eden to use for lunch, that and money for next weeks groceries.

"Damn it!" I hissed, before laying my head down in my arms.

With the current money that I had, I was going to be short on paying the bills. I thought that I would have been fine with the money I had earned the past couple weeks, but I guess I was wrong. I just didn't have enough money.

"This can't be happening," I whispered, before getting up and grabbing the small pile of mail out of my dresser drawer.

I brought it back over to my bed, tossing the envelopes on the sheets with the money. Before I knew it, every bit of paper was scattered about the bed in frustration. I couldn't keep doing this and I was already behind.

"I can't keep doing this…" I sighed, sliding down the edge of my bed. "Eden shouldn't have to go through this."

Although, before I could do much of anything else, I heard the front door slam shut and the sound of a backpack being thrown to the ground.

"Eden?" I whispered, standing up and leaving my room.

I headed toward the stairs, standing there for a moment as I watched my sister go into the kitchen and slump against the side of the sink. She didn't even realize that I was home.

"Eden?" I called, walking down the steps.

I walked into the kitchen, her head shooting up quickly to meet my gaze. Something was definitely wrong.

"Eden, sweetie, what happened?" I asked slowly, kneeling down in front of her.

When I tried to touch her though, she pulled away, shocking me to say the least.

"Eden, what happened?" I asked, taking hold of her shoulders and bringing her to look at me.

"What do you think?" she spat angrily, trying to shove me away.

"Eden, stop it!" I told her, shaking her slightly to try and pull her out of it. "How am I supposed to know what happened unless you tell me?" I asked.

At that, she stood up pushing me and causing my back to hit against the chair.

"I got into another fight, okay? I shoved the guy and then he hit me!" she yelled, a few tears falling and dripping from her chin.

I just sat there in shock as she said this, but it was short lived. I couldn't believe that she had gotten into another fight, that, and the fact that a guy had hit her. It was then that I finally took in her appearance. She practically had a black eye starting to show. I could also see what looked like a bruise starting to form on her left wrist. I then stood up, walking over to her slowly, taking her by the arm and pushing up the sleeve on her jacket.

"Who?" I asked firmly, looking her in the eyes.

"Who do you think?" she asked bitterly.

"Eden," I warned.

"It was Jeremy, okay!" she cried out.

It was then that Darry finally came in.

T

He hadn't meant to spy on Abigail, he was just curious at first as to what she was doing. From his spot on the roof it was easy to see her through the large sized hole that he had made. While he was working at fixing the hole in the roof, she was working on cleaning the mess in her room that he had made. After she was done with that though, he saw her crawl under her bed and pull something out. When she placed it on her bed, that's when he finally noticed what it was, a glass jar.

She just opened it and poured it out, coins and paper bills falling onto the bed. After that, she began sorting it, putting different amounts off to the side. At this point, Darry had practically stopped with his hammering. Abigail didn't even seem to notice.

"Damn it!" she hissed out, before burying her head in her arms.

It was obvious that she was frustrated. Even when she got back up and went over to her dresser, rummaging through it and bringing back a small bundle of mail. She just started ripping into them, looking them over and then throwing on the bed with the money. She seemed even more frustrated by things as she slid down the side of her bed. He wanted to say something to her, but he didn't know what to say to her. Then, before he knew it, the front door slammed shut. Then within five minutes, there was yelling downstairs and he knew that he had to do something.

T

"What's going on in here?" Darry asked as he walking into the house, a look of concern on his face.

"Who's he?" Eden asked, glaring at Darry.

"It's nothing, don't worry," I said quietly, answering Darry's question.

That was my mistake though because before I knew it, I was on the floor.

"Nothing? Nothing?" Eden yelled while pushing me as hard as she could.

At that, Darry came forward and grabbed a hold of her from behind, making sure to keep a good hold on her even as she kicked and yelled.

"Abigail, are you alright?" Darry asked, grunting when Eden got in the stomach with her elbow the wrong way.

"Eden, stop it!" I yelled, grabbing her as she nearly kicked Darry between the legs.

All that I could do was pull her down to the floor with me and hold her against my chest, no matter how hard she beat against me to let go.

"Eden, please, stop this?" I whispered, holding onto her. "Please…"

It probably took her a good ten minutes before she finally calmed down enough to talk to me. I felt so bad for Darry though as he sat there on the floor, an arm over his stomach and a hand on his leg, both spots where Eden had gotten him.

"She's strong," Darry voiced, looking over at us as we sat there.

"Eden, I think before you decide to cause anymore _damage_, I should introduce you to the guy that's fixing our roof," I said, gesturing toward Darry. "Eden, this is Mr. Curtis. Darry, this is my little sister Eden," I said, introducing them to one another properly.

"Nice to meet you," he said, still a bit winded.

Eden just sat there quietly, staring at him for some apparent reason. Then, after a moment or two she finally spoke up.

"Your brother's terrible at science," she said spitefully, still in a bad mood.

"Eden, that's uncalled for," I scolded, before getting shoved over again.

"Why, is he going to be your boyfriend or something now?" she asked, her voice raising a bit.

Darry just sat there dumbfounded, not understanding what was going on. He also seemed a bit shocked at Eden's behavior toward both of us.

"Eden, that's enough," I told her.

She merely huffed and ran up to her room, slamming the door behind her.

"Are you alright?" Darry asked, pushing himself up off of the floor and coming to stand in front of me.

He held his hand out toward me, intending to help me up if he could. I just continued to sit there though, letting things run through my mind. When Darry saw this, he crouched down in front of me, I guess to make sure that I was alright. A moment later, he placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"It'll be alright," he said, trying to reassure me. "Here," he said, holding his hand out for me again.

I took it this time, letting him pull me up with him. He really was a nice guy, just like his younger brother Ponyboy. It just made me wonder what his other brother was like.

"So, are all you Curtis boys this nice?" I asked, joking around a bit, but still serious all the same.

He just gave me a small smile at this. I really needed that smile right now. Smiles like that were hard to come by these last few years. Even for me, it was hard to truly smile anymore.

"I really am sorry that you had to see that Darry, really I am," I apologized.

It was definitely not something that I'd want people seeing. Especially, not Darry, since he was being so nice. There was that and the fact that I didn't want people really seeing that side of my life. Most people didn't realize that I was the only one raising Eden. They probably didn't realize because I had finished high school with what seemed like little problem. That wasn't the case though as life would have it. Some days Eden would love me, others, she'd hate me. Sometimes, she'd even cry for Mom, saying that I wasn't her mother. My thing was, I wasn't trying to be her mother, I was just trying to be there for her.

"I swear, some days she just can't stand me," I said with a sigh, running a hand through my hair as I stood there.

That was all that I said. I learned a long time ago not to talk about certain things with Eden around. If I did, I took the chance of her hearing and having them coming back at me in the worst ways.

"Hey Darry, why don't we just call it a day, alright?" I asked.

He seemed a bit confused by this though, so I explained it better.

"It's probably best that you get back home and check on Ponyboy. The roof can wait another day. Besides, I need to take a walk and clear my head," I told him.

He seemed to understand and nodded his head in agreement, seeing that I needed time to myself to think. I needed to think about what I was going to do with Eden.

"I really appreciate you coming over and taking a look at things Darry," I said, grabbing my blue jean jacket from the couch.

"Not a problem Ma'am," he said.

The moment those words came out of his mouth though, I stopped him, my fingertips pressing against his strong chest.

"Abigail, remember? No more Ma'am," I told him, a small smile playing on my face.

"Sorry Abigail, I'll remember next time," he promised, his tool belt hanging on his shoulder again as usual.

"Be sure that you do, otherwise, I won't let you back in tomorrow," I said smugly, trying my best not to laugh. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, alright Darry?" I said, locking the door behind us.

"Alright then, tomorrow it is," he agreed, walking over to his truck.

"Oh, and Darry," I started, walking over to him as he set his stuff in the back, turning around to face me. "Here," I said, holding my hand out.

"What is it?" he questioned.

"Just take it, alright?" I told him, grabbing his hand and placing a five dollar bill inside it.

I didn't even give him a chance to protest as I walked away, waving over my shoulder to him as I left him standing there a little bit stunned.

T

Before I knew it, I was back at the diner again, an apron wrapped around me. I felt bad about not returning to the house before work, but it couldn't be helped, I had to do my job whenever it was time for my shift. I was also stuck helping Joe clean the place up too. Apparently, he hadn't taken much time to clean things up this morning and just kept things closed. With that in mind, I'd likely be there all night continuing to help him clean things up after hours.

T

The whole night was nothing, but people coming in every now and then. A lot of them were just getting things to go and that was about it. That left me with little money. I didn't let that get me too upset though because I knew that it wouldn't do me any good. So, I just put it out of my mind and kept sweeping the floor, making sure to get the pieces of glass out from underneath the tables.

I still found it hard to believe how much damage people can do. I was actually surprised that Joe even bothered to open the diner up today to be honest. Then again, there were a few loyal customers that always came no matter what, so I guess he felt that he owed it to them to be open. That's Joe for you, one of the nicest 'Socs' around. That's why you can't always go with stereotypes, even if it is hard at times.

"Abigail, why don't you get home, alright?" Joe said as he came out of the kitchen, a box in his hands.

I turned to look at him with a questionable look though, thinking that he would have at least wanted me to finish sweeping first.

"Abigail, go home dear, your sister needs you there," he said.

I just stayed quiet and went back to sweeping. She didn't need me there and I knew that for a fact. More over, she didn't want me there. I sighed as I thought about that, taking things in again like I had earlier during my walk after Darry left.

Eden was 10 years old when Dad left and five when Mom died, I was only 11 years old back then. I suppose Eden was lucky, she wasn't subjected to as much stuff as I was. Then again, we all suffered when Mother died. Another reason why Eden was lucky, was the fact she was so innocent. She didn't understand what was happening with Dad because I wouldn't let her. I always kept her away, so she never really realized that he had practically become a drunk. She had always looked up to him, so I took it upon myself to make it seem like she still could when we were younger. I just hope that she never finds out what really happened.

"Here," Joe said, holding the box out to me that he'd been holding.

When I took a closer look, I found it to be a pie box. It wasn't just any pie box though, this pie box had an entire thing of freshly made apple pie inside of it. It was still warm when he placed it in my hands, the warmth of it covering me and slowly moving up my arms a bit. It felt so good, but there was still one thing that I had to ask though.

"Why are you giving me this?"I asked, a bit curious about his reasoning.

"You did very well today," he told me, going back behind the counter and grabbing my jacket, tossing it my way. "Now, get out of here kid, before I call the cops," he laughed, before coming back around and gently shoving me out the door.

"You and your jokes Joe," I laughed, pulling my jacket out.

"Well, I have to liven things up at some point," he said with a shrug.

"I'll see you tomorrow Joe," I said with a wave of my hand as I headed down the street.

"Be careful, ya hear?" he called after me from the diner.

T

I didn't quite want to go home just yet, so I stopped by the park, finding a nice spot by the fountain to sit.

The sound of the water was a sweet melody to my ears as I sat there, turning my head to look up at the night sky. The only thing that I wished was that the temperature outside could be just a little bit warmer, but then again, it still felt nice out. I wish that Eden could see this though.

A shiver ran through my body a moment later, causing me to pull my jacket closer around myself, the warmth from the pie box on my lap radiating through my legs. It looked so good.

_I think having the first slice to myself couldn't hurt,_ I thought to myself, opening the lid and picking a out.

I brought it toward my face, the aroma reaching my nose with its lovely smell. I then took a bite, savoring the taste of it in my mouth. It had been so long since I had tasted something like this. Joe always did know how to make a mean apple pie.

"Mmm," came the sound of my voice in satisfaction.

It tasted so good.

_I hope Darry likes apple pie_, I thought to myself, feeling the tugging at the corning of my lips.

**Okay everyone, chapter 3! I hope everyone liked it? Please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me? It keeps me writing. I also want to thank everyone that has been sending me reviews, I REALLY appreciate it. :) Once again, this chapter wasn't as long as I would have liked, but still. I think chapter 4 should be a bit longer, I'm also working on it at this very moment, so keep your eyes peeled everyone. Thanks again. Also, like always, check out my PROFILE for others stories that you might like.**


	4. Ch 4: Shattered

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 4**

**Shattered**

The next day I woke up early. When I looked at my clock, it read 6:30. I expected Eden to still be asleep in her room, but when I looked, she was gone. I looked all over the house, but still found no Eden. This left me with only one answer. She was still mad at me and likely got up earlier and snuck out, probably over to one of her friends before school started. That left me to myself until Darry arrived, giving me enough time to wash up and take a bath since the shower didn't work properly. Keeping that in mind, I went into the bathroom and turned on the hot water, letting it run for a few minutes while I went back into my room and grabbed some clean clothes.

As I looked through everything, I concluded that I'd have to do laundry later. I just grabbed the first thing that I could find, that thing happened to be my slightly wrinkled sleeveless black shirt. I also grabbed my usual pair of jeans from my dresser. After that, I deposited them in bathroom and went down stairs, filling the tea pot with water and placing it on the stove. I figured at least then when I was done, I could have some hot water waiting for me so that I could have some refreshing tea for the morning. Also, I figured that I could possibly offer some to Darry if he was interested, it just depends.

T

When I was done in the bathroom, I went back downstairs and turned the stove off, carefully removing the pot from the burner and placing it on a different one. This was something that I had done dozens and dozens of times before. At times, the act seemed almost ritualistic to a degree. Tea always seemed to relax and calm me down though, soothing my frazzled nerves. It's what I've been using to keep me sane for years now. Although, sometimes I still didn't really know what I kept fighting for.

"Eden," I breathed out.

She was my only reason to keep going at times. I promised Mom that I'd always look after her no matter what. What she didn't know was that it would be far more literal than just watching out for my little sister. Instead, I'd be raising her by myself for about eight years, possibly a little longer depending on what happened the next four years of her life.

I tried to put all of this out of my mind though as I put a couple slices of bread in the toaster, turning the knob to make sure it was lightly done. I never did like my toast very crunchy. I grabbed a plate from the cabinet after that, sitting it on the counter next to the toaster and waiting for it to get done. I also grabbed my cup from the counter and poured the hot water into it, before grabbing a tea bag and placing it in the cup. I watched for a few moments as it floated on top of the water, slowly soaking in the liquid until it dropped to the bottom of the cup. Color followed shortly after, the tea spreading through the water and coating it with luscious flavor.

"That smells so good," I sighed as the aroma of the tea hit me full force.

I took my time drinking my tea, savoring the flavor on my tongue. Some people loved coffee, but I loved my tea even more. Tea was also something that my mother got me started on.

T

Nine o'clock came around quickly and I found myself waking up from my nap on the couch by a knock at the door and the sound of Darry's strong voice.

"The door's unlocked," I said with a yawn, making sure I was loud enough for him to hear.

After I said it, I heard the door open and Darry's footsteps walking toward the couch.

"I didn't wake you did I?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck for a moment.

I just shook my head and yawned again, curling up a bit as I laid there on the couch, burying my head in my arm.

"Just…give me a…few more…minutes…to wake up," I yawned, my mind fogging over as I dozed off again.

T

Darry stood there, watching her as she slept on the couch. He was at a loss for words. He had come over to continue his work on the roof as promised, yet here she was, sleeping once more. It was obvious that she was tired. Given the way she had talked the last time, she didn't sleep very well and was likely up late last night. It was like him to a degree. He was always up worrying about everyone else that he never took the time to get proper rest his own self. He was sure that she had spent a good chunk of her night worrying about her sister, especially, given how things had gone when Abigail had introduced the two to each other. What Darry didn't understand, was what Eden's issue was with him. It was like she despised him for some reason or another. Not to mention the way that she treated Abigail.

Now, if Darry were any other guy, he simply would have started on his work and not bothered with the fact that Abigail was sleep. Darry wasn't just any guy though, Darry was considerate. He figured he'd sit down in the kitchen for a bit and finish reading his newspaper, let her sleep just a bit longer before getting started. He knew that running on little sleep wasn't good for her, just like it wasn't good for anyone. Darry on the other hand was getting used to it, but that didn't mean that he liked it. He enjoyed a good long sleep every now and then, just like everyone else did. She deserved a good sleep as well.

Sitting at her table, he'd glance over at her every now and then, his eyes steering away from his paper. She seemed so at peace while she was sleeping, yet when she was awake, there seemed to be something missing. He didn't know what it was, but it bothered him a bit for some reason or another. He supposed the thing that bothered him the most though was the fact that she was still young and dealing with so much, kind of like him. That was one thing that he noticed. Just like him, his parents were gone and he was left to raise his brothers, she was left to raise her little sister. The only thing that he didn't know was how everything came to be, how she ended up the way that she was.

After about a hour and a half though, he knew that he would have to wake her up and get started. It's not that he didn't mind taking a bit of a break and all, but he knew that he had to work on the roof. If anything, he'd at least have to patch up all of the little holes since it was supposed to rain tomorrow. He knew for a fact that Abigail wouldn't want any more water getting into the house. So, with that in mind he got up from his chair, pushing it back in under the table and walked over to her.

"Abigail," he called, nudging her shoulder with his hand gently.

She didn't move, so he tried again.

"Abigail, wake up," he called once more, this time a little loud.

"Mmm," she groaned, curling up a bit, but still not opening her eyes.

Darry let out a sigh, running his hand through is hair for a moment, before crouching down in front of her. He sat there for a minute or two, sitting and waiting, until she finally opened her eyes.

"Have a nice nap darlin'?" he asked, the side of his mouth tugging into a faint smile.

"Darry?"

T

I was woken up from my sleep by the sound of a voice. At first I just passed it off as my imagination and curled back up, but afterward, I knew I wasn't dreaming. I also noticed the familiarity in the voice, though their voice sounded a bit muffled to my tired and sleep ridden ears.

"Darry?" I groaned out as I opened my eyes, his figure a bit blurry at first as I rubbed them.

"Yep, it's me," he said, confirming my earlier thoughts.

"What are you…" I started with a yawn.

"You let me in, remember?" he said.

After that, everything came back to me. I remembered fixing myself some tea and toast, then taking a nap. I remembered letting Darry in some time after that. What I didn't know was why he was sitting right in front of me though.

"Why aren't you up on the roof?" I asked quietly, letting out another yawn as I continued to lay there and stare out at him.

"Well, you told me to let you rest a bit longer, so I thought it only fair to let you," he told me, sitting there for a moment longer before finally deciding to stand back up. "Besides, if I was up there hitting on the roof, how would you be able to sleep?" he asked innocently.

This made me laugh, a small friendly smile breaking out onto my face.

"Thanks Darry," I said softly, pushing myself up into a sitting position.

I was still a bit sore from yesterday though and couldn't help, but let out a small groan.

"How long was I asleep?" I asked curiously, running a hand through my hair.

"I'd say a hour and a half to two hours, give or take," he said with a small shrug of his broad shoulders, his thumbs hooking around his belt-loops.

"I'm sorry for holding you up for so long," I told him, stretching my arms above my head, before standing and getting up off of the couch.

I nearly fell over as I did this though, placing a hand on my head as I steadied myself from my sudden dizziness. That normally happened when I was laying down for too long or after just waking up.

"You okay?" Darry asked, taking a firm hold of my shoulder, helping to steady me the rest of the way.

"Yeah, I just stood up too quick, that's all," I assured him.

My eyes then trailed down to his hand that was still on my shoulder. He saw this and quickly removed it, apologizing afterward. Strangely enough, I didn't really mind that much, and in a way it was kind of comforting.

"Well, I'm going to get started on the roof. I'll let you know when I'm done," he said, grabbing his tool belt and walking out of the house.

I nearly laughed at this, sensing the slight awkwardness that he likely felt. Darry was definitely something else, that was for sure, but a good something to say the least.

T

The same routine went on for a whole week. Each day Darry would come back and work on the roof a bit more, eventually redoing the whole roof for me. When I tried to pay him though he refused, saying that it was the least he could do for me after keeping Ponyboy and Johnny out of jail. Although, I suppose feeding him lunch everyday also had something to do with it, but that was beside the point. Heck, I even let him take a nap on my couch once. I was grateful though for his kindness, very grateful. I just wished that Eden could be the same.

Eden still detested Darry for some reason and was still hateful toward me. I honestly didn't know how much more of it I could take. If she kept at it, then I'd likely end up breaking down and crying, which was something that I really didn't want to end up doing in front of Eden of all people. Darry was still very understanding with the whole thing though, so I was lucky. I just didn't understand Eden.

Unfortunately though as the week came to an end, so did Darry's job. The roof was finished so there was no longer a need for his services. This left me with a particular sadness that I didn't think I would feel. I had been without company or _friends_ for so long that I had gotten used to it, but then Darry came along and changed that. I didn't want to be alone all the time anymore and I had come to enjoy his visits. We even talked about different stuff at times. Sometimes he would tell me stories about his friends while he worked on the roof and I'd just sit there on the porch listening to him and actually enjoying myself.

T

"So, how are things going with that young man?" Joe asked as he leaned over the counter, the diner currently empty at the moment.

"You mean Darry?" I asked, turning my head to look at the man as I wiped down one of the tables.

"Of course I mean him. You seemed happy all week long," he expressed.

I just turned my head away from him as he said this, going back to the table. I could almost see my reflection in it.

"He's done with the roof, so he left," I said, moving onto the next table and putting things where they should be.

"Well, that's a darn right shame," Joe said, walking down the length of the diner. "For a moment there, I thought that you might actually have yourself a decent boyfriend there for once," he continued, glancing over at me as I continued to work.

I was glad that he couldn't see my face because I went completely red at his statement.

"Come off it Joe," I told him in embarrassment.

He merely laughed at this, enjoying the fun at embarrassing and picking at me. It seemed to be his favorite past time now a days since I'm the only one that ever seemed to get close to him. The other two girls that worked there from time to time were only there for the job, not the people. They could care less about anyone else, just as long as they were getting paid, then they were happy.

"You should find some way to see him again you know," Joe said, a goofy grin on his face.

"Lord have mercy, don't you ever stop Joe?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"No, not really."

Lord have mercy, he was terrible. Absolutely terrible. The man was worse than the girls in high school at times.

"Hey now, you're my best girl. I just want to see you happy," he said, coming around from the counter and walking over to me.

"He's just a friend though Joe, that's all," I said with a sigh, sitting down in one of the booths.

I was so tired, that, and I didn't feel very good. I guess it comes with the rotten weather, since it had been raining for several hours now.

I looked out the newly placed window in the diner and watch the lightening streak through the night sky, the thunder soon following after it. It was a beautiful, yet scary sight to see.

"I think it's time we closed up for the night Abigail," Joe said, going back and turning the light off in the kitchen.

He then came back and grabbed his jacket, along with mine from underneath the counter and met me by the door, handing it to me.

"Why don't I give you a ride home? It's a bit scary out tonight," he said, hoping that I'd accept his offer for once.

I almost didn't accept it, but after looking back outside again, I figured that I should. So with a nod of the head, I turned toward him.

"Alright, I suppose this once couldn't hurt," I said.

"That's my girl. I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever let me give you a ride home," he chuckled.

"It's not that I'm not comfortable with the idea or anything Joe, it's just that you live on the opposite side of town from me. I don't want to take up your time," I explained, shrugging my blue jean jacket on over my shoulders.

"Always thinking of everyone else, never your own self," he voiced aloud, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his keys. "I'll pull the car around," he said, pulling the door shut and locking it behind him.

I stood there leaning against the glass under the oning as Joe ran around for his car through the pouring rain. About two minutes later, he was in front of me again, leaning over and opening the door for me.

"Thanks Joe," I said, quickly getting in and closing the door behind me.

I was thankful for the heat in the car. It felt so good against my skin in this cold weather brought on by the rain.

"Now remember, I don't come down this way too often, so you're going to have to help me," Joe told me as he turned down the road, keeping his eyes peeled for any problems.

"Take a right up here Joe," I told him, pointing up ahead.

He nodded, turning once we got up to the intersection. He then continued on down the road at a slowed pace because of the rain. I watched the rain splash onto the sidewalk as the car drove through it, wetting the ground further.

"Take a left into this neighborhood," I said once we were close enough to the turn.

I could feel my body pulling in the other direction as he turned, righting myself as he continues further.

"Take another right at this second street. My house is the third one on the right," I told him, pulling my jacket closer to myself as I got ready to get out.

I waited until he pulled up to my house, before grabbing hold of the door handle and turning toward him.

"Thanks for the ride Joe, I really appreciate it," I said with a small smile.

"No problem Abigail. Oh, take this," he reached out with a paper bag in his hand, holding it out to me. "A girl's gotta eat, right?" he laughed, setting it in my hands.

"Thanks," I said quietly, opening the door and running for it.

I waved as he drove off, pulling my keys out and unlocking the door. I shivered as I stepped inside, cold air blasting my face.

"Eden, why isn't the heater on?" I called up the stairs, wiping my shoes off on the doormat.

I then took my jacket of and walked over to the other side of the room, turning the dial on the heater and turning it on. I placed my jacket down on the heater afterward so that it could dry off. It still took a couple minutes or so for the heat to kick in though.

"Eden, get down here," I said as I stood by the steps for a moment.

I went into the kitchen with my bag, sitting it down on the table. I then went to the fridge and pulled out the milk, pouring a bit into my cup on the counter. Once I was done, I placed the milk back in the fridge and sat my cup down on the table.

"Eden!" I yelled, starting to get annoyed that she was ignoring me.

A minute later, I heard her stomping down the steps, turning into the kitchen with an angry look on her face.

"What?" she spat, glaring at me.

"What in the world is wrong with you?" I asked, taking half a step back away from her.

"Nothing, nothing except for you," she said in annoyance.

I stood there for a moment, placing my hands on my hips.

"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow at her, my voice going up a notch.

"You heard me. Where were you anyway? Out with your boyfriend?"

"Eden, that's enough!" I said, my temper starting to flare.

She had no right talking to me like that, especially, when I had done nothing wrong to warrant it.

"You sound like Mom," she said bitterly.

"How can you say that, you weren't even around her enough," I said.

"That's why I hate you! You spent so much time with her and now you're trying to replace her!" she yelled.

That was it, that did it.

"I'm not trying to replace her! How could you say that!" I cried out.

"It's true! Just like with Dad!"

That one really hit home. Now she was blaming me for our father leaving. She had no right saving such a thing.

"You're wrong," I said quietly, turning my back to her and opening the paper bag that Joe had given to me.

"How am I wrong? Tell me how I'm wrong Abby!" she yelled.

"You don't know why he left…you don't know what he was doing," I told her, rubbing my arm for a moment.

"Dad was perfect. What I want to know is why he left," she said, her voice still angry.

"No he wasn't!" I cried, whirling around to face her. "That's why I kept you away from him all those times!" I told her, trying to fight back my tears. "I kept you safe!"

"Liar, you kept me away from Dad!" she yelled back, shoving me into the table, my cup falling off and hitting the floor.

The sound of my cup shattering was almost like a smack in the face. It was Mom's cup. It was my mother's favorite cup. She had let me have it for my tenth birthday and now it was gone.

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes as I stood there, my hands placed on the edge of the table. I could feel myself shaking as I stood there.

"I can't let you see me like this," I whispered, before turning and running out the door.

I didn't even bother to grab my jacket off of the heater before deciding to run. The rain didn't even bother me as I raced forward, the rain mixing with my tears as I cried. I didn't even know where I was going. I just ran, tripping over myself a few times, before pushing myself up to keep going. I didn't even realize that I had run right passed Darry's house without a single thought.

**Okay, there's chapter 4 everyone. I really hope that you liked it because I know that I enjoyed writing it for the most part. I'm sure that you'll love the next chapter though. Abigail and Darry in the next chapter. They grow closer and I'm starting it now. :) Remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE. It keeps me writing, happy, and posting. Anyway, thanks for reading everyone and let me know what you think. Also, don't forget to check my PROFILE for other possible stories that you might like.**


	5. Ch 5: Running After Abigail

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 5**

**Running After Abigail**

Ponyboy was seated outside on the porch, staring out at the rain. Darry was inside reading his newspaper and relaxing in his armchair like he normally did after a long day, Sodapop was up in his room trying to get some rest after being sick earlier that day, and their friend Two-Bit was lounging on their couch watching Mickey Mouse with a beer in his hand.

As Ponyboy sat there though, he watched as someone ran by their house. Sitting up, he saw that it had been Abigail. She slipping from time to time and it looked like she was upset. He also noticed that she didn't have a jacket on.

"Miss Abigail!" he called, but she didn't turn around, she just kept running.

"Darry," Ponyboy called, running back inside.

Darry looked up at him as he called his name, forgetting about his newspaper for a moment.

"What is it Ponyboy?" he asked, his brow furrowing as he caught the worry in his brothers tone.

"It's Miss Abigail, something's wrong," he said, causing Darry to stand up and drop his newspaper. "I just saw her run by. Darry, something's wrong, she didn't even have a jacket on."

Darry knew what he had to do from there and it didn't take much thought.

"Two-Bit, I'm taking your jacket," Darry said, grabbing it from the couch and running out the door.

"Hey, what are ya doin'?" Two-Bit cried as Darry snatched up his leather jacket.

Darry didn't hear him though as he ran outside. He could just barely make out Abigail's form as she ran through the rain, the thick downpour blurring her figure.

"Abigail!" he yelled, running down the street as fast as he could, lightning striking through the night sky above them.

Ponyboy was right, something was definitely wrong. Even though Darry hadn't known Abigail for very long, he knew that she wouldn't just run out in the rain without a jacket like that, not this late at night.

"Abigail!" he called again, continuing to run after her, water splashing under his feet.

Playing football in high school was definitely coming in handy. Darry was able to run longer and harder than most others had on his team. In fact, he practically rivaled Paul, the Socs head honcho. Then again, Darry was still big enough to be a football player.

_Damn, she can sure as hell run,_ Darry thought to himself, finally catching up to her once they reached the park, only because she fell and didn't get back up.

"Abigail!" he called once more, slowing down a bit as he panted.

T

"Abigail!" I heard my name being called as I ran, but I didn't stop, I didn't even turn around to face who it was.

All I wanted to do was run away from everything and never stop. If I stopped, then it would catch up to me. If I stopped, the pain would get me, it would swallow me whole. I couldn't stop, I just couldn't.

"Abigail!" they called again over the sound of the thunder.

I nearly slipped again as I ran, tears running down my face, mixing with the rain. The voice sounded so familiar and I was so tempted to just stop right there, but I didn't. I continued to run, the lightning lighting my way as I ran. I didn't stop until I was in the park, finally slipping on the wet grass. I didn't bother to get back up that time though. Instead, curling into a ball and crying, the rain pelting down on my body.

"Abigail!" they called one more time, falling beside me a moment later. "Abigail," they panted, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Darry?" I whispered, trying to wipe away the tears.

"Abigail, what happened?" Darry asked, worry evident in his voice as he peeled wet locks of hair away from my face.

I looked up at him, unable to stop my tears. He was soaking wet just like me, his bangs hanging in his face, dripping wet. His clothes clung to him just as mine did from the dreaded downpour.

"I can't…I can't d-do it anymore D-Darry, I-I just c-can't," I choked out, falling against him.

I felt him pull me into his arms as we sat there, holding me and giving me warmth from the cold rain. I had never felt so weak. I felt terrible having Darry see me like this. This was the last thing I wanted anyone, especially Darry of all people to see. I hated crying in front of people, I don't know why, I just did.

"Is this because of Eden?" he asked, going out on a limb to find out his answers.

All I could do was nod though, trying to avoid speaking if at all possible.

"Abigail, you're soaking wet," he said, feeling part of my shirt.

"So are you," I whispered, my forehead resting against his chest.

I already didn't feel good to begin with, now I was wet and stuck out in the rain. I was just now starting to realize how sore my legs were as well, that, and how cold it truly was outside. I realized that in my quick attempt to flee, I had neglected to grab my jacket, and now I was shiver.

"Abigail?"

_Darry…_

T

"Abigail?" he tried, trying to get her attention.

She didn't respond though. Instead, she slumped against him a bit further, letting out a faint groan. When he took a closer look, he found that her eyes were closed and her cheeks were a bit red. Her face was pale and her breathing was shallow.

He brought his hand up to her face, brushing the back of his fingers against her cheek. Her skin felt warm to the touch, the same when he placed his hand to her forehead. She was sick and from what he could tell, she'd likely been that way all day long, perhaps without even noticing it.

"Abigail…" he breathed, feeling a tug at his heart.

She looked so fragile in his arms. Then again, Darry was a big guy, and Abigail was small compared to him. What was worst, was the fact that she was sick and in the rain no less.

Darry had so many things going through his mind as he sat there, the rain never yielding as it continued to pour, soaking his clothes and hair. His normally slick combed hair was now limp, his bangs clinging to his forehead, blinding his vision slightly. His shirt clung to his chest just like Abigail's, but instead of white like his, hers was black. He was grateful for that, whereas Steve, Dally or Two-Bit would have been disappointed. That's when he remembered Two-Bit's jacket, quickly picking it up and wrapping it around Abigail's shoulders. She didn't make much noise as he did this or even when he picked her up, one arm under her legs, the other behind her back.

_I have to get her out of the rain,_ he thought, turning back toward his house.

As he walked, he took in the fact of how light she was in his arms. She couldn't be more than 115-120 max. Then again, he never saw her eat much of anything. He figured that it probably had to do with the stress of work and home. She probably just tried to sleep whenever she got the chance.

T

"Ponyboy, open the door," Darry called as he walked up onto the porch, easily keeping a good hold of the woman in his arms.

Ponyboy came running to the door a moment later, opening it up and stepping to the side to let Darry inside the house.

"Off the couch Two-Bit," Darry ordered, getting ready to knock him off if he didn't get up.

"Why do I…" Two-Bit stopped himself from going any further when he saw Abigail in Darry's arms, quickly getting up off the couch and placing his beer on the table. "What in tar nation happened ta her?" he asked, slightly shocked as Darry laid her out on the couch, tossing Two-Bit's jacket back at him.

"Ponyboy, go upstairs and get that blanket off my bed," Darry instructed, placing Abigail's head down on the couch cushion. "Two-Bit, watch her," Darry said, walking into the bathroom and turning on the water and running it cold.

Darry ran the water cold as he stood there, grabbing a clean wash cloth from the counter and soaking it. He came back into the living room to find Two-Bit hovering over Abigail, poking and prodding her.

"Two-Bit!" Darry said in annoyance as he stepped forward causing Two-Bit to jump.

"What?" Two-Bit laughed, taking a sip of his beer.

"Leave her be," Darry said firmly, pushing his friend out of the way.

Darry crouch down next to her as Ponyboy came running down the stairs, blanket in hand.

"Here Dar," Ponyboy said, holding the blanket out to his brother.

Darry took it with a nod, placing it over Abigail's shivering form. She looked even worse in the light now that Darry thought about it, then again, so did Soda. The poor kid got sick earlier and his face look almost green. Abigail didn't look that great either, but at least she wasn't green. No, she was just flushed and hot from fever.

"Is she going to be alright Dar?" Ponyboy asked as he stood near his brother.

"Yeah, she'll be fine Pony. She just needs to get dry and sleep," Darry told him, not taking his eye off of Abigail.

"So, who is she?" Two-Bit asked, combing his hair, trying to make himself look pretty incase she woke up.

"Her name is Abigail Winters. I've been working on her roof all week," Darry said, placing the cloth on her forehead. "She's also the one that helped keep Ponyboy outta the boy's home," he said deliberately, reminding his little brother.

"Wait, she's the one you've been talkin' 'bout Ponyboy?" Two-Bit asked in disbelief.

"Ponyboy, what have you been tellin' Two-Bit?" Darry asked tiredly.

"Nothin', just that she's real nice is all," he assured him.

"Yeah, but ya never told ol' Two-Bit how gorgeous she was," Two-Bit said as though he were hurt that Ponyboy would keep such an important detail from him.

"Hey now, it wasn't even relevant," Ponyboy argued.

"Enough, both of you," Darry warned as he went back to tending to Abigail, already feeling a headache coming on.

After a few minutes of sitting there though, a thought came to mind that he couldn't let go of, a question that he had to ask.

"Ponyboy, I've got a question for you kid," Darry started, turning his eyes toward his little brother that was now sitting in his chair. "Abigail's sister, Eden, you have classes with her don't you?" he asked.

"Yeah, I do, why?" he asked curiously, not understanding where his brother was going with this.

"How does she act at school?"

Darry was very careful with this question as he asked, almost hesitant to a degree.

"Fine, I guess. She gets picked on and made fun of a lot though," Ponyboy explained. "It's kind of sad actually. Apparently, her mom died when she was little and then her dad ran off a few years ago," he said quietly, remembering that his own parents were gone.

"And she takes it out on Abigail," Darry said with a sigh, putting the pieces together.

After that, he turned to his brother fully, standing up from his spot beside Abigail.

"I want you to do something for me Ponyboy," Darry said, walking over to him and placing a large hand on his shoulder. "Stand up for her, okay? She obviously needs a friend and I think you'd do perfect," he told him, before walking upstairs to his room to change.

He came back down a minute later in a pair of old sweat pants and a light gray beater, his wet clothes hanging from his arm. He simply went and placed them in the bathroom, hanging them over the shower curtain to dry.

"So, if she's on the couch, then where am I supposed to sleep?" Two-Bit asked, looking between Darry and Ponyboy.

They just stared at him for a moment, before Ponyboy turned to Darry for an answer.

"The floor," Darry said flatly, turning down the lights a bit.

T

_Things kept going in and out of perspective. I kept seeing Mom and Dad. It was how things used to be, everyone laughing and smiling together. Things were happy and simple. My heart hurt as I remembered all of this, seeing it before my eyes again once more._

_Mom was so beautiful with her long brown hair and light blue eyes. Her smile seemed to light up the world around her, her laugh a bell of joy._

"_Mom…" I whispered, reaching out to her, but she just disappeared before my eyes in a cloud of dust._

_I could hear the sound of Eden's cries and screaming for our mother, the sound of Father's pain, even the sound of my own sobbing. Eden was only five years old, I was eleven, all we had was each other._

"_Dad…" I whispered, hesitantly reaching out, only to have him disappear too._

_I turned to Eden, her figure far away. I was so afraid that she would disappear too. If something were to happen to her… I wouldn't be able to live with myself any longer._

"_Eden…?" I choked out, reaching out to her._

_I almost had a hold of her, and then she disappeared, vanishing before my eyes._

"_It's your fault," a voice echoed around me._

T

I woke up to find myself crying, unable to stop myself. I couldn't help it. Those thoughts in my head, they tormented me to no end. What Eden had said, it brought back thoughts of Mom and Dad, thoughts of the way things used to be. It tore me apart.

"Abigail?" came the sound of a tired voice, sounds of footsteps reaching toward me.

I looked up through my tear filled eyes, confusion written on my face as I saw the person in front of me.

"Darry…?" I whispered, lost for words as he stood there. "What…" I did even know where to begin as I tried to push myself up, groaning a bit in the process.

I felt absolutely horrible at the moment, almost sick to my stomach. I soon found myself hunching over, and my arms hugging myself. Tears still fell from my eyes as I set there shaking, crying from my dreams.

"Abigail, what's wrong?" Darry asked, kneeling down in front of me. "Abigail," he whispered softly, boldly placing a hand on my cheek.

I looked up at him as he did this, not shrinking away from him like I would others. I just stared into those bright blue eyes of his, tears still falling.

"I feel like I'm losing her Darry," I choked out, shivering as I sat there.

I felt so cold. That's when I noticed that my clothes were still wet. I had been so stupid and just ran off without even thinking. The thought of that made me cry even more, causing me to try and hide myself.

T

Darry didn't know what to do. He had woken up to the sound of crying, only to find Abigail on the couch in tears. Now, he was right in front of her and she was still crying.

_What would Mom and Dad do? _he thought to himself, before sitting down on the couch and pulling her against him.

He remembered what his parents used to do when Ponyboy was little. If he had a bad dream, he would go to their mom or dad and they would hold him. Either that or they'd come into his room, sit down and ask what was wrong, rubbing his back gently in an attempt to calm him. They'd done the same thing for Darry and Sodapop when they were small too.

"It's alright, you're not going to lose her," Darry assured her, feeling her curl a hand around the material at the front of his shirt.

They sat there like that for a while, Darry holding her and rubbing her back, her sitting in his arms and crying into his chest. There was a feeling of closeness in it, a feeling of trust, a feeling of comfort on both sides. It was something good and genuine.

Sure, Darry had had a girlfriend or two in high school. He'd held a girl in his arms before, but this felt a bit different. He didn't really know where to place the feeling that he felt while holding Abigail. Although, it did feel nice to comfort someone for once, since he never had been very good at it. The nice thing about it was that she accepted it. She accepted his help, his attempt at comfort, his holding her.

Too wrapped up in helping Abigail, Darry hadn't even noticed that Two-Bit had woken up and was watching them, a smirk on his face.

"Well, lookie here," Two-Bit said with a laugh, causing both Darry and Abigail to look over at him.

Abigail just hid her face against Darry, not wanting to look at his friend. Darry on the other hand sent a glare his way.

"Knock it off Two-Bit or I swear I'll kick you right outta this house and into the rain," Darry threatened, holding Abigail just a bit closer to him.

He didn't appreciate that Two-Bit was trying to get his kicks in at Abigail's expense. In fact, he'd be damned if he let Two-Bit even try it. Having someone like Two-Bit laughing at them for sitting there together was the last thing that Abigail needed, even if it wasn't directed toward her, but instead toward Darry. None of the gang had ever seen Darry the way that Two-Bit saw him right now, that's why Two-Bit was laughing because it was so strange, but it wasn't to Abigail.

"I mean it Two-Bit," Darry warned as Two-Bit tried to stop laughing.

"Fine, fine, I'll just go upstairs to Pony's room then," Two-Bit said with a stupid grin on his face.

"You better keep quiet then and don't even think about waking Soda up," Darry said, turning his attention back to Abigail, feeling her breathing even out just a bit as she calmed down a bit more.

Darry could hear the sound of Two-Bit's footsteps as he went upstairs. Darry just kept his eyes on Abigail, hearing her sniffle and hiccup as her tears slowed. She had also turned her face back around away from the couch now that Two-Bit was gone, her eyes closed as she tried to regain control of her breathing.

"How about I turn on the radio?" Darry asked, his hand resting on her back still.

He felt her nod her head in response, not trusting her voice at the moment. With that, he leaned over a bit, turning the on the radio on the table, the sound of Elvis Presley streaming through and into the air around them. Elvis Presley's song, "Devil In Disguise," came belting out smoothly, along with the sound of Abigail's laugh.

T

Darry gave me a funny look when he heard me laugh, but I couldn't help it, "Devil In Disguise," was one of my favorite songs. Also, I found it funny that that song was the one that came out at that moment.

"I'm sorry," I smiled a bit, turning my head tiredly to look up at him as I laid there. "It's one of my favorite songs," I told him, watching a small smile start to form on his own face.

"There's nothing wrong with that, it's just nice to hear you laugh," he said softly, glancing back over at the radio for a moment, listening to the sound of the music.

I closed my eyes, laying there as I listened to the sound of Elvis Presley's music. It felt so good to hear that sound. What I found even better, strangely enough, was the fact that Darry was there with me to hear it.

The next song that came on was, "Jailhouse Rock," another one of my favorites. I couldn't help, but to smile as I heard it. It was a little bit more upbeat, but I didn't care, I still loved it all the same. I could tell that Darry did too as he laid there with his back against the couch, his face nice and relaxed. It was nice that he could appreciate the sound that music gave.

"Thank you Darry," I said quietly, my eyes half open as I yawned, staring over at the radio.

I felt him move slightly before speaking, turning his head toward me.

"What for?" he asked.

"For coming after me," I told him, enjoying the feeling of my chest against his chest, the warmth radiating off of him.

Darry gave me a kind smile as I said this, pulling the blanket up around, before letting his arm rest around me once more.

"You're welcome _Miss _Abigail," he said, a small smirk on his face when I looked up at him, shoving him in the chest playfully with my hand.

**Okay everyone, that was chapter 5. I hope you all enjoyed Abigail and Darry's moment together? It was an interesting write for me personally, so I hope you all enjoyed it like I did. Also, don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts and opinions on this story/chapter. Thanks everyone!**


	6. Ch 6: Damn You!

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 6**

**Damn You!**

Darry and Abigail slept all night together on the couch, falling asleep to the sweet and comforting melodies of Elvis Presley. It had been the first time in a long time that Abigail had slept decently. In Darry's arms, she felt safe, and that allowed her to finally sleep in peace for the first time in years. Even Darry himself had slept without waking up. Normally, much like Abigail, he'd wake up several times during the night and check up on his brothers. This time though, he slept peacefully without a problem.

The peace was cut a bit shorter than it should have been though with sounds of laughter and awe. Apparently, Two-Bit couldn't keep his mouth shut and the whole gang ended up in Darry's living room that morning, watching him and Abigail sleep.

"Hey, Soda, when's the last time you saw ol' Dar with a girl?" Ponyboy asked his brother, looking between Darry and Abigail.

"Well, its been a while, that's for sure," Soda told him honestly.

The reason why it had been awhile for Darry, was the fact that he had given up on college to raise and take care of Soda and Ponyboy. He put so much time into his work that he never took enough out of it to actually relax and try to have a girlfriend. The last time that Darry had a girlfriend was back when he was still in high school. Now, he had Abigail laying there in his arms in front of everyone.

"It's so sweet, I think I'm gonna be sick," Dally said with a smirk on his face, walking over and kicking Darry's leg with his foot. "Hey, wake up."

They all heard a small groan come from him as he opened eyes, rubbing his face for a moment as he tried to wake up.

"What are you doing here Dallas?" Darry asked, looking around at everyone.

"Well," Dally started, a smirk on his face. "I got a call from Two-Bit, said I should come over and see _this_," he said, referring to Darry and Abigail as he stood there with his arms folded over his chest.

"Two-Bit," Darry groaned, sending an annoyed look his way.

"Sorry Dar, I couldn't resist," Two-Bit laughed.

As a result of all of this, Abigail woke up a moment later from the noise, twisting and turning a bit against Darry in a tired manner.

T

I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't, the sound of laughter filling my ears. The laughter sounded familiar though, the same from last night. I found the culprit though upon opening my eyes. It was Darry's friend, Two-Bit if I remember it correctly.

"Oh, great…" I muttered under my breath, trying to hide against Darry again like I had done last night.

"Cute," I heard someone laugh, causing me to glare and turn my head back around.

I found the culprit this time to be a guy with short brown hair and brown eyes. He was a little tall, with what looked like a brown leather jacket and jeans. My eyes narrow at this. I knew him and I hated him.

"You!" I yelled, my back against Darry.

"Hello, Abby," Dally grinned.

"I should smack you right now Winston," I said angrily, glaring at him and moving to stand.

Before I could do anything though, I felt Darry wrap his arms around me, holding me in place. To my dismay, Dally's grin only grew from there.

"How do you know Abigail?" Darry asked, holding me against him so that I couldn't hit Dally.

"Well, I," he started, but before he could go making up some ridiculous story, I stopped him.

"The creep grabbed my butt at the diner the last time I saw him," I hissed, catching everyone's attention.

"You what!" Darry's temper flared a bit as he looked toward Dally for conformation.

"Hey, you should control your girl," he snickered, pulling out a cigarette.

"You know what!" I yelled, pulling away from Darry and lunging at Dally.

I managed to knock him on the floor and get a hit in, the cigarette falling from his mouth, before he flipped me over so he was on top and pinned my arms above my head. He then rubbed his cheek for a moment as everyone stood there watching us warily. I could see that Darry was ready to grab him at any moment though.

"You know, I kinda like this position," he said huskily, leaning in close to my face.

I just glared at him, before bringing my knee up hard between his legs, causing him to double over in pain.

"Damn you!" he groaned, narrowing his eyes at me for a moment.

I just pushed him off of me, standing up and shoving him with my foot.

"Pig," I spat, before turning and looking at everyone.

They just stood there, shocked expressions on their faces. Two-Bit had a goofy grin on his face, while Darry looked stunned. Then there was Ponyboy. Lord have mercy, I think I might have scared the poor kid.

"Dang girl, remind me never to get on your bad side," one of the guys said.

"Who are you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Name's Steve, Steve Randle," he said, introducing himself.

"Abigail Winters," I replied, before turning my gaze toward the other one.

"Sodapop Curtis."

"So, you're Soda," I smiled.

"Yes Ma'am," he nodded politely.

This made me laugh a bit, looking over at Darry, then Ponyboy.

"Just like your brothers, polite as ever I see," I smiled, placing my hands behind my back.

"And you're…Two-Bit," I said, looking at the one wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt.

"Yes Ma'am, Two-Bit Matthews at your service," he said with a playful bow.

"Now, why can't you be a bit more like Two-Bit here?" I asked as crouched down in front of Dally, picking the cigarette up from the ground and bending it in half, ruining it in the process.

He just glared at me, before sitting up, still hold the part of him that identified him as a man. I found it funny though. He had put me in a bad mood and then we went and switched roles.

"I kinda like this position," I said, a small grin on my face.

He let out a small growl, turning his face away from me so as not to look at me.

"You're lucky you're a girl. I don't hit women, so leave me alone," he told me, trying to stand up.

"And maybe that will teach ya to keep your hands to yourself Winston," I retorted, turning back toward Darry and sitting back down on the couch.

Darry stood there for a moment longer, before sitting back down his own self next to me on the couch, watching as Dally left the house all together.

"Now that introductions are over, how ya feeling?" Darry asked, placing his hand against my forehead for a moment.

"Better, I guess," I said quietly, letting out a sigh as I wrapped the blanket around myself.

"You're still a bit warm," he voiced, leaning down and picking the washcloth up off the floor.

He then went into the kitchen, running the water cold I supposed, also leaving me alone with the guys. Two-Bit took advantage of this though, quickly coming over and sitting down on the couch next to me, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

"So, where ya from darlin'?" he asked, that usual grin on his face as he took a drink from his beer.

"Um…down the street?" I said, raising an eyebrow as I looked over at his arm.

"Nice," he smiled in a satisfied manner. "I'll have ta pay ya a visit some time," he said, pulling me a bit closer.

Even thought I knew that he didn't mean any harm by it, it still scared me a bit to have his arm around me like that.

"Two-Bit, lay off," Darry warned as he walked back into the room. "You're making her uncomfortable," he told him, walking over and pushing him off.

Once Two-Bit was out of earshot from my whispers I spoke up.

"Thanks…"

He just nodded, trying not to draw any more attention to us as he took the washcloth and placed it on the back of my neck.

T

"So, how old are you anyway?" Steve asked, sitting on the floor near the couch.

He was playing cards with Two-bit, both of them drinking beer.

"Don't you know it's rude to ask a woman's age?" I asked, trying to hide the smile on my face. "20, why?"

"No reason really, just you're around Super-dope's age is all," he said, grinning as he looked Darry's way.

"Shut it Randle," Darry warned from the kitchen.

He was making breakfast or more like brunch given what time it was. I just sat there on the couch watching everyone. I did notice that Two-Bit's attention was mainly on the TV though, watching Mickey Mouse.

"Well, how old are you Steve?" I asked, leaning back into the couch a bit more.

"16," he said, throwing a card at Two-Bit's face to get his attention.

"Soda?" I asked, turning toward the second oldest of the Curtis brothers.

"16," he replied, watching his best friend start wrestling around with Two-Bit, both trying to put each other in a headlock.

The two went tumbling all over the place, knocking into things until eventually, Two-Bit was thrown onto the couch. He nearly landed on me, causing me to let out a yelp.

"Would you two stop it," I said, quickly getting up off the couch and going into the kitchen where it was safe.

I stood there watching the two roll off the couch and onto the floor, knocking the coffee table over in the process.

"Would you two knock it off before you break something," Darry said, before looking over at me. "You alright?" he asked, worried that perhaps the two had hurt me in their foolishness.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I assured him, watching as he cooked.

He seemed to do it with such ease. It made me wonder if he did all the cooking in the house, then again, I wasn't one to judge. In fact, I rather liked the idea that he could cook, it meant that he could take care of himself.

"How do you like your eggs?" he asked, glancing over at me for a moment, before turning back to the skillet.

"White done with the yellow runny," I told him, looking down at my hands.

A moment later the sound of something breaking was heard from the living room. Darry and me both went and looked, only to find the lamp on the floor in pieces.

"Damn it guys, I said to lay off for a reason!" Darry said in annoyance.

"I'll take care of it," I said softly, placing my hand on his arm.

He looked down at me for a moment, debating what to do. Looking over at the guys in the living room he let out a sigh, nodding his head, before going back to cooking.

"Hey, Ponyboy, take a walk with me?" I asked, walking toward the door.

"Sure, but give me a sec," he said, running upstairs real quick.

I stood there for a moment, waiting for him to come back down as the others continued with what they were doing.

"Two-Bit, let her have your jacket for a bit," Darry told him from the kitchen.

Two-Bit turned to me a moment later, shoving Steve out of the way and handing me his leather jacket. Ponyboy came back down a second later wearing a zip up hoodie.

"Here ya go baby, it'll keep ya nice and warm," he smiled as he placed it in his hands.

"Um…thanks," I said awkwardly, taking it and putting it on.

It was surprisingly warm.

"You ready Ponyboy?" I asked, standing at the door.

"Yeah, let's go."

T

The walk to my house was quiet for the most part, save for Ponyboy's curiosity toward my health and wellbeing. He had asked me about what happened last night, but I didn't say much on the matter. I just told him not to worry about it, that I was fine and might try talking about it later, but I doubted it. At the moment, Darry was more likely to hear about it than anyone else.

When we made it to my house, I unlocked the door, opening it and stepping to the side to allow Ponyboy inside.

"Eden?" I called hesitantly as I looked around.

There was no sight of her anywhere.

"I'll be right back. Make yourself at home," I told him, before turning and walking up the stairs.

I went into my room first, walking in and looking around. Everything was as I had left it, not a thing out of place. The bed was still made and the pictures was still their places or at least I thought so anyway.

When I took a closer look, I found that Mom and Dad's picture was missing, but not just any picture of Mom and Dad. The picture that was missing was our family portrait.

"Eden…" I whispered, sighing for a moment before I looked under the bed.

The jar was still there and I pulled it out, unscrewing the lid and pulling a few bills out. I then shoved them into my pocket, before screwing the lid back on and shoving the jar back under my bed. After I was done with that, I walked back out of my room and closed the door behind me, quietly walking over to Eden's room.

"Eden?" I whispered, opening her door.

There was no response, but as I went inside, I found her sleeping on her bed. She had the picture from my room wrapped up in her arms, her face against the glass as she laid there curled up in a ball. I nearly cried as I looked down at her.

"Eden…" I said softly, reaching out and placing a small bit of hair behind her ear with my fingertip.

She probably didn't fall asleep until late, that's why she was laying there still sleeping. I couldn't help, but to sigh though as I pulled her blanket up around her, kissing her forehead before leaving and going back downstairs. I found Ponyboy looking at a couple of pictures on the wall when I came down, his eyes scanning over them as though trying to take everything in.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" I asked, coming to stand beside him.

"Nothin' really, just lookin'," he told me, glancing up at the picture again. "Is that your mom?" he asked, gesturing toward the main one.

"Y-Yeah," I said quietly, looking up at it as well.

It was a black and white still of my mom when she was around my age. She was so beautiful.

"You look like her, ya know?" Ponyboy commented.

All I could do was nod my head, before going and walking into the kitchen. He stood there for a moment before following, curious as to what I was doing I suppose. I didn't put much thought into it though as I opened the fridge, taking out the remainder of the pie. I saw Ponyboy's eyes light up a bit upon seeing it, a small smile forming on my lips.

"Would you like to carry this back for me?" I asked, holding it out to him

"Sure," he nodded, easily taking it from my hands and following me back into the living room.

He stood there by the door, watching as I went to the other side of the room by the heater and unplugged the lamp. He gave me a funny look as I did this, carrying the lamp in my arms.

"We rarely ever use this one," I told him, ushering him out of the house and closing the door behind me.

T

While Abigail and Ponyboy were out on their _walk_, Darry finished cooking the food, setting everything on the dining room table.

"Don't even think about it," Darry warned, placing a hand down on the table to stop Steve from grabbing Abigail's plate of food.

"Come on, Dar, I'm hungry," Steve groaned.

"Then go get something else, this is Abigail's," he told him, turning back to the fridge and grabbing the milk.

"Thinkin' about your girlfriend?" Steve grinned, moving out of the way as Darry tried to make a grab at him. "Hey Soda, I think I hit a nerve," Steve laughed, running around the table and over to the door.

Darry was right behind him, ready to grab him when he opened the door on Abigail and Ponyboy.

"Randle!" Darry exclaimed angrily as he saw Abigail sitting on the porch outside, her hands on her nose, and a thin white box on the floor.

"I told you something would happen," Ponyboy said quietly as he sat down next to Abigail, placing his hand on her shoulder.

T

"Are you okay?" Ponyboy asked.

"Yeah… This is officially the second time I've been hit in the face with a door," I groaned, still hold my nose in pain.

I was so glad that Ponyboy managed to convince me to let him hold the lamp instead. He had warned me that something stupid might happen once we got back and he was right. I just didn't think that it'd be something like this though or that I'd be the one to get hurt. Although, I suppose it could have been worse, I could have ran into Dallas Winston again today.

"Out of the way," Darry said, pushing Steve aside and coming to kneel down in front of me. "Let me see," Darry said, reaching out and gently pulling my hand away from my face.

I hissed in pain as he touched my face, gentle as he was, it still hurt.

"You're lucky you didn't break her nose, otherwise, I'd kick your head in," Darry threatened as he helped me up, leading me back inside.

"Hey Ponyboy, bring that lamp in for me would ya?" I asked as I followed Darry inside and over to the couch.

"Lamp?" Darry questioned, looking back over to the door as Ponyboy brought the thing in. "You didn't?"

"I told you I'd take care of it," I said quietly, leaning my head back as my nose started to bleed a bit. "Besides, that one never gets used anyway," I told him.

He didn't say much after that, instead, getting some tissues and helping me with my nose. I still couldn't believe that I'd gotten hit with a door. That had only happened once when Eden was pissed off at me and slammed the door in my face as I tried to come inside. Hell, I can only imagine what Dally would do if he were here. He'd be laughing his ass off probably, but who knows. Although, I'm sure that he'll find out about it eventually if Two-Bit's the way that I think he is.

"You alright baby?" Two-Bit asked as he came over, trying to take a look at me.

"Yeah, I'm fine, and don't call me baby," I told him, turning my eyes toward Darry as he dabbed at my nose again. "Ah."

"Sorry."

I just shook my head at his reply, pulling his hand away from my face for a moment.

"It's alright," I told him, before laying back on the couch properly so that he could continue.

I would have just told him to stop, but I didn't. In a way, I didn't mind him doing this, helping me the way that he was. To be honest, it felt nice, having someone care enough to actually help me like this. The thought itself made me smile a bit, therefore catching Darry's attention.

"What?" he asked.

"N-nothing, I'll tell you later," I said quietly, my eyes glancing over at the others that were seated around the room.

He seemed to understand, so we left it like that, quiet without a word as everyone went about their business.

**Okay everyone, there's chapter 6. I hope that everyone liked it? Abigail's a tough girl, huh? *grins* I also hope that you like how Darry's being a bit protective of her, that and how she kicked Dally's butt. That was probably my favorite part in writing this chapter. Remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, and feelings on this story/chapter. I'd really, really, REALLY appreciate it. Thanks everyone and don't forget to check out my PROFILE for other stories that you might like, even though, this is the only one that I'm currently updating at the moment. I've got so much I want to do with this story that currently this one is my top priority. AND since it's still early today, CHECK BACK IN A BIT, I MIGHT HAVE ONE OR TWO MORE CHAPTERS UP SHORTLY. Thanks everyone.! :)**


	7. Ch 7: You Want Proof Paul?

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 7**

**You Want Proof Paul?**

**I'll Give You Proof**

It was exactly one week later since everything happened with me and Darry. That day, he had driven me back to my house and then over to work, leaving me to relax on the way there. He'd been so nice about everything, which is exactly why I invited him to come to the diner today, my treat. Well, actually, it was more Joe's idea than mine. I didn't mind though. In fact, I thought that it was a great idea. Although, I also knew the truth behind why Joe was doing this. The man treated me like a daughter and he was trying to make me happy.

It was around 7:30 or so when I heard the bell on the door ring, alerting me to our next customer. I was hoping that it was Darry, but it wasn't. Instead, it was an elderly couple, a man and his wife.

"Good evening," I smiled, grabbing a couple of napkins and some silverware as I set them on the table for the two of them, along with their menus. "May I take your coats?" I offered.

The old woman smiled at me as she turned a bit, trying to take her coat off.

"Here, let me help you with that Ma'am," I said, easily helping her take it off.

"Thank you sweetie," she said as she sat down across from her husband, allowing me to hang her coat up along with her husband's.

"Would you like me to take your hat for you Sir?" I asked.

He too smiled at me, removing it from his head and handing it to me.

"If you please," he said, gently taking hold of his wife's hand afterward.

"Would you like me to give you a few minutes to decide?" I asked.

They looked at each for a moment, before turning back to me.

"Just some potato soup and tea please, for the both of us," he said kindly.

"Yes, Sir, and might I say, Joe makes the best potato soup around," I smiled, writing the orders down and going behind the counter, clipping it to the turner. "Two orders of your potato soup Joe," I said, spinning the thing around for him.

"Coming right up," he said.

While he was doing that, I started on the couple's drinks, putting ice in them and filling them up. I then placed them on a tray right as Joe hit the little kitchen bell.

"Orders up," he called, placing the bowls out for me.

"Thanks Joe," I said, grabbing them and placing them on the tray with the drink as I got ready to go back around the counter again.

Just as I was rounding the counter, the bell at the door rang.

"I'll be right with you…" I stopped when I saw who it was. "D-Darry," I swallowed, looking over at the elderly couple for a moment. "Um, sit where ever you like and I'll be with you in a second," I told him, quickly making my way over to the couple.

T

It was about 7:20 when Darry left the house. Abigail had invited him to the diner to come and eat, saying it was on the house. Knowing that she had invited him, he wasn't about to pass up the opportunity. He'd even put on his best jeans along with a nice fitting black t-shirt for which he tucked in to his pants. He had even rolled the sleeves up to make it look a bit better. Pony had even asked him where he was going since he looked so nice. When he told him that he was going to see Abigail, he almost didn't believe him.

When he got to the diner, it was a few minutes after 7:30.

From his spot in the truck, he could see Abigail behind the counter setting things down on a tray. She had her hair pulled back into a messy bun, a few pieces falling out into her face. He couldn't help, but to smile a bit as he watched her. He'd never seen her at work before, so he was trying to take everything in.

A minute later, he finally decided to get out of the truck and walking inside, the bell on the door giving him away before he even knew it.

"I'll be right with you…" she started, but stopped once she saw that it was him.

She seemed at a loss for words as they stood there.

"D-Darry," she stuttered, looking over at the elderly couple that were seated in a booth. "Um, sit where ever you like and I'll be with you in a second," she told him, before quickly making her way over to the couple, her tray in hand.

He heard a bit of laughter back in the kitchen as he walked over and sat down on one of the bar stools at the counter, a face soon looking in through the open kitchen window. It was the face of a man, one with short brown hair, and blue eyes.

"So, you're Darrel Curtis then?" the guy asked, coming out of the kitchen and standing in front of him.

"Um, do I know you?" Darry asked curiously.

"No, the name's Joe, Joe Taylor," he said, introducing himself. "I'm the owner here," he said proudly, before looking over at Abigail.

She was standing there, talking with the couple, a smile on her face. Although, her face went slightly red for a moment when the old woman said something to her, her eyes flickering over toward Darry for a moment.

T

"Go on now, we'll be fine," the woman said. "Besides, I can tell you fancy him," she said, making my face go red.

"Let her be Mildred," her husband chuckled as he placed a hand gently on mine. "We'll be fine dear, go take care of that nice young man over there for now," he said softly, reminding me of how my father used to be.

All I could do was nod my head in response, before turning around and walking back toward Darry.

"H-Hi," I whispered, still a bit embarrassed.

What made matters worse was the fact that Joe was standing there with him.

"Hey there," he said back, a charming smile on his face.

I wasn't sure what to do as I stood there in front of him, still a bit shocked that he came. Although, that's when Joe decided to take over for me, making things a little bit easier for me.

"Pick anything off the menu, it's on the house," Joe said, handing Darry a menu. "That means you too missy," Joe said as he pointed a finger at me. "You haven't eaten all day."

I remained quiet as he said this, sitting down next to Darry at the counter.

"Just a small bowl of soup," he said.

Joe didn't like this much.

"Oh no you don't. A strong young man like you needs more than just that," Joe started. "Now, I've raised two boys, so I know better. How about a nice hearty Barbeque sandwich," Joe said, watching Darry give in with a nod.

It was then that Joe turned toward me.

"You'll be having the same," he announced.

Before I could protest, he went back into the kitchen, a satisfied look on his face.

"So…" I started awkwardly, not really knowing what to say.

"How long have you been working here?" Darry asked as he rested one of his arms on the countertop, turning a bit to look at me properly.

"Since I was about Ponyboy's age, so about 6 years," I told him, looking over into the kitchen for a moment to see Joe smiling at me. "I've been with Joe the longest out of anyone," I said, resting my head on my arms tiredly.

"She's my best worker too," Joe said from the kitchen, making me go slightly red at his praise.

Apparently, it was easy for Darry to put two and two together, turning back toward me again.

"He likes to embarrass you, doesn't he," Darry said, trying his best not to laugh.

"Only around you," I said quietly, burying my face in my arms.

A minute later, Joe came back out with a tray in his hands. I saw what was on it and held back a remark. Not only did he have our sandwiches, but he also had a sundae on it.

"Joe," I hissed, my face going red.

I could understand embarrassing me in front of Darry or making me eat like he did, but this was over kill. He had done this deliberately just to embarrass me further.

"What? I figured the two of you would like dessert with your food," he said, trying to play innocent.

"Joe, I'm warning you," I said quietly, sitting up a bit more in my seat.

"Play nice now you two," he chuckled, before walking off and back into the kitchen.

I heard Darry chuckle a moment later, causing me to shove his arm in embarrassment.

"Oh, hush you," I mumbled, bringing my sandwich to my mouth and taking a bite out of it.

To be honest, it was really good, but that didn't stop me from being annoyed at him. So, without thinking about anything else, we sat there and ate together. It had been so long since I had done something like this. It was nice having time like this, it really was. Even better I suppose that I got to spend it with Darry.

"You seem content," Darry commented.

"Maybe I am," I said with a shrug, glancing over at him for a moment.

I nearly choked on my food when I looked at him, my hand going over my mouth as I held in a laugh.

"What?" he asked, giving me a strange look.

I couldn't help it, I swear that I couldn't. I mean, the guy had barbeque sauce on his nose.

"Darry," I snickered, pulling his hands down for a moment as he went to take another bite.

"What?"

I leaned forward for a moment, a napkin in my hand as I wiped the tip of his nose, before showing it to him. I could have sworn that his face went a bit red upon realizing everything, but it could have been my imagination.

"Sorry," I snickered, trying my best not to laugh too much.

After a second look though, he didn't seem to mind as much as and laughed with me instead. That actually made me feel a lot better when he did that, it made me feel more comfortable to be honest.

"Maybe I'll start coming here more often," Darry said.

I paused for a moment though as he said this. If he came here more often, especially around this time, then I'd get to see him more often. I'd have a friendly face to look at every now and then instead of Joe all the time.

"That would be nice," I said quietly, before going back to my food.

We didn't get to talk too much more between eating though before someone else came into the diner, the sight of them making me completely forget my food.

"Oh no…" I whispered, turning back around and hoping that they wouldn't see me.

"Abigail, what's wrong?" Darry asked, glancing over at who just came him.

"Hey there Abby," came the voice of a man, but not just any man.

No, it was Paul, Mr. Super soc. Sometimes, he was just as bad as he buddies when it came to bothering me. In fact, he had two of them with him, but luckily they stayed by the door.

"Well, hey there Darrel, didn't expect to see you here," Paul said as he walked over, throwing his arm around my shoulders and resting his chin on my shoulder.

I could feel my whole body stiffen as he did this, my hand clenching the edge of the counter as it shook a bit. I just prayed that Darry would notice this and help me, I really did. The last thing that I wanted to do was be touched by someone like Paul or any one of his little buddies.

T

The moment that Paul put his arm around Abigail, Darry noticed that something was wrong. He could see her hand start to shake and curl up as Paul stood there with his chin on her shoulder, his breath tickling her ear and making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end.

"What are you doing here Paul?" Darry asked carefully as he sat in his seat, keeping a watchful eye on Abigail.

"Just came in here to get some food," Paul said as his nose touched Abigail's cheek, her eyes turning wide and scared almost. "That and pay Abby here a little visit," he told him.

Darry knew that he had to do something, her eyes were pleading for help as he glanced over at him, he just hoped that Paul would believe it and leave them alone.

"Well, I that's fine by me, but I'd like it if you'd leave her alone," Darry said, reaching over and grabbing hold of Abigail's hand, giving it a small comforting squeeze.

"And why should I?" Paul asked as he raised an eyebrow at his old high school buddy.

"Because she's my girlfriend," Darry said.

At this, Paul gave him a hard look, not believing a word that he said. He then laughed.

"You're lying Darrel," Paul smirked. "Besides, what would she want with a Greaser anyway?" he laughed, the sound of it making Abigail even more uncomfortable. "You have nothing to give her," he said.

T

"J-just leave me alone Paul," I said, quickly standing up as Darry did the same.

I quickly went and stood behind Darry, wrapping my arms around him from behind and resting my face against his back. Darry didn't tense or anything, if anything, he relaxed a bit from what I could tell.

"Darry, get me out of here?" I whispered, only loud enough for him to hear.

From there, he reached his hand around and gently took hold of my arm, taking it easy as he pulled me forward a bit as he walked toward the door. I could see Joe staring at me from the back, giving me a nod that it was okay to go. All that I could do was mouth a thank you to him before Darry got me outside and headed to the truck. We couldn't seem to get there fast enough though as Paul followed us out of the dinner.

"Get behind me," Darry instructed, blocking me from Paul's view.

"You're lying through your teeth buddy," Paul said.

"Leave us alone," I told him, my hand curling around the back of Darry's shirt.

"Tell me something Abby, what is that he has that I don't?" Paul asked, taking a few steps forward.

I could feel Darry's muscles tense up a bit as Paul got closer to us, but Darry still held his ground.

"Do you _really_ want to know Paul?" I asked, poking my head out from behind Darry.

Paul nodded his head, gesturing for me to continue.

"Well, for one, kindness," I said, my eyes looking somewhere else for a moment.

"I can be just as nice," Paul countered, making me continue.

"Love," I said.

"I can love you just as good as he can," he grinned.

This made me groan.

"Compassion," I added, raising my voice a bit.

"I can be compassionate too," he said, folding his arms over his chest. "And I've got money," he gloated.

That's what did it, that's what hit a nerve, it's also what caused me to step out from behind Darry.

"I don't care about money Paul," I told him, my face going slightly red from the fact that he thought that I was that shallow. "Darry works his butt off every day to get where he is. I bet you've never worked an honest day in your life," I said, taking a step forward. "You want to know the real difference between the two of you? It's heart! Darry puts his heart into what he does. He's an honest man and a gentleman!"

I stood there, shaking a bit after venting everything. Surprisingly enough though, it was all true, every word that I spoke was true. Darry was by far much better than Paul could ever hope to be.

"Why don't we just settle this like men," Paul said, before shoving Darry backwards.

I had to move out of the way before I got hit. All I could do was stand there as Paul and Darry rolled around on the ground, Paul pulling as many punches as he could.

"Stop it!" I yelled, running over and trying to push Paul off.

All that did was get me sent flying a few feet onto my back in pain.

"Abigail!" Darry cried out, his temper flaring as he punched Paul in the face, knocking him off of him.

Darry was kneeling next to me a second later, pulling me into his arms and holding me. We both looked over at Paul as he started toward us. In that moment, I knew what I had to do.

"You want proof Paul? I'll give you proof," I said angrily, turning toward Darry. "Darry…" I whispered softly, before taking his face into my hands.

He didn't stop me as I leaned forward, pressing my lips gently against his. I felt him place his hand on my cheek as I did this, a wave of warmth washing over me. It was perfect if it weren't for the fact that it was to prove something to Paul. I honestly think that that's the part that hurt the most. It felt so right, but it was for the wrong reason.

When we broke apart, Paul stood there with a pissed off look on his face, but he didn't do anything though.

"So, that's how it is then? I thought that you wanted to change," he said, annoyance still filling his voice.

"I did change," I muttered, laying my head against Darry.

The whole thing was so believable, it actually hurt. It felt so real. I felt like crying as I sat there, those thoughts running through my mind.

"Now that you have proof, leave us alone Paul," Darry told him, carefully pulling me up as he stood.

I stood there with him, his arms wrapped around my waist and my arms around his necks. We looked like a real couple standing there in front of Paul. Anyone else would have believed it too.

"Fine, but things aren't finished with you and me Curtis," Paul warned as he walked away, his buddies following behind him.

When they were gone from sight, I let out a sigh of relief, resting my head against Darry.

"Finally," I breathed.

"Abigail?" Darry said, causing me to look up at him.

"Yeah?"

Before I knew it, his lips were against mine, kissing me softly. I found myself unable to think clearly, but I found myself smiling as I kissed back. I guess it wasn't pretend after all.

"Did I overstep?" he asked, pulling back after a minute.

"Do you really think you'd be standing if you did?" I asked, a smile breaking out onto my face.

"So, what does this mean then?" he asked, a small smile on his face as he stroked my cheek gently.

"Something good," I whispered, leaning into his hand as I closed my eyes.

It felt so good to feel such a comfort after all these years.

"Darry?" I whispered, still enjoying the feeling of his hand on my cheek.

"Yes, Abigail?"

I opened my eyes back up and looked him in the eyes, placing my own hand on his cheek.

"Before we go any further with whatever this is, I want you to promise me one thing," I said.

"Anything," he breathed, looking back into my eyes with those beautiful blue ones of his.

"Never leave me?" I whispered, my eyes slightly watery.

"I promise," he told me.

With that, I leaned up and pressed my lips to his like I had done before, enjoying the warmth of his lips on mine. I never liked playing pretend anyway.

**Chapter 7. Yay! :) I REALLY hope that everyone liked this chapter. I know that this is something that a LOT of you wanted to see. :) Please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings about this chapter/story. I'd really appreciate it. REVIEWS keep me posting. :)**


	8. Ch 8: Going For A Walk

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 8**

**Going For a Walk**

**An Ambush With Threats**

Ever since the kiss with Darry, I'd found myself sleeping better, easier. I didn't completely understand why, but I suppose at the same time, I did. It still bothered me though, the whole thing with Paul and Darry. I didn't understand what was going on between the two of them, but apparently, there was more to it than just me. Although, I wouldn't put it passed Paul to do something stupid though. The only _good_ thing about Paul, was the fact that he wasn't as stupid and immature as some of his other buddies. Those thoughts had been on my mind for the last few days. Even after everything that happened though, I've still been going to work every day as usual. I may not always like the people in the diner, but I wasn't about to leave Joe hanging. The guy was like a father to me and I wasn't about to go and dessert him just because of some issues.

"Hey, Eden, I'm going out for a walk. Do you wanna come?" I asked as I pushed her door open, finding her laying across her bed with a book in her hands.

"No, not really," she grumbled.

I sighed at this. She never wanted to do anything with me anymore.

"Fine, I'll be back in a bit then," I told her, closing her door behind me, before going down the steps two at a time just for the heck of it.

_When I get back home, I'm gonna pull out one of my records, then lay down and relax,_ I thought to myself as I exited the house, locking it behind me like I usually did before leaving for anywhere.

Today, I had the day off and I was going to take advantage of that fact. Who knows, maybe I'd go and see Darry later or something, but right now I know that he's working so I'd have to wait. Although, I knew that Ponyboy would probably be at home by now. With that thought in mind, I headed in his direction.

_Maybe he'd like to take a walk with me, _I thought, continuing my way down the street.

T

When I got there, I saw that their front door was open, the screen door being the only thing keeping the bugs out. It was also a sign that someone was home. As I got closer, I saw Two-Bit lounging around. It only took a moment or two before he saw me, jumping right up out of his spot and over to the door a moment later.

"Well, hey there baby," he greeted, opening the door for me like a gentleman. "Come to pay ol' Two-Bit a visit this time?" he asked, one of those goofy grins on his face. "_Or_ did ya come by ta see your boyfriend, huh?" Two-Bit hinted as he threw an arm around my shoulder.

"Hey, I know that Darry's still at work," I defended, ducking out of Two-Bit's hold with a smile on my face. "I actually came by to see if you boy's wanted to take a walk around the neighborhood with me," I told him, looking between him and Ponyboy.

"Of course we would, right kid?" Two-Bit said, looking over at Ponyboy.

Ponyboy just nodded his head, standing up from the couch.

"Why us though Miss Abigail?" Ponyboy asked curious as he grabbed a sweatshirt from the couch.

"Well, after that fight between Paul and your brother, I've been a bit leery of going out by myself," I told him.

They both gave me a look of understanding as I said this.

"Well, I don't blame ya there baby. If I were in your shoes, I'd be the same way," Two-Bit told me.

"That makes me feel a lot better," I said dryly. "Anyway, you guys ready to go?" I asked, trying to smile.

Two-Bit just laughed and threw his arm back around my shoulders again, pulling me against him.

"Two-Bit, lay off," Ponyboy said, trying to pull Two-Bit's arm off of me, only to end up in a head lock afterward. "Hey, get off," Ponyboy complained as Two-Bit messed his hair up before running out the door.

I watched as Ponyboy ran after him, closing the door behind me as I tried to follow.

"Hey, waited up!" I yelled as I ran after the two, laughing a bit as I watched them.

I still remember how me and Eden used to mess around like that at times. Even though I was always bigger than her, she still put up a fight. I'd still have to ease up on how rough I was, but still, it was fun. We don't do that anymore. Heck, I'm like a tomboy anyway, so it's actually pretty easy for me to get along with these guys. With that thought in mind, I ran up behind Two-Bit and jumped on his back, catching him off guard. He laughed though a moment later when he realized it was me, a full out grin breaking out upon his face.

"Now that's my kinda girl," he laughed happily. "Bet ol' Dar hasn't seen this side of ya yet," Two-Bit said, happy that he had gotten to see it.

"Yeah, well normally, he's not messin' around like you guys," I told him, pushing off of his back.

"Now why'd ya have ta go and do that?" he whined as I got off of him.

"Oh, hush you," I said, shoving his arm playfully.

Unfortunately, he seemed to catch on to my attitude and went after me, putting me in a headlock this time.

"Damn it Two-Bit," I cried out, trying my best not to laugh as he messed my hair up terribly.

"No can do missy. Ol' Two-Bit's been around plenty of girl in my time, but you're the first one that likes ta play rough," he grinned.

He kept walking though, keeping me in a headlock the entire time as I tried my best to get free.

"Come on Two-Bit, leave her be. Besides, she's a girl, treat her better than that," Ponyboy said as he tried to help me.

"Oh, she ain't no girl," Two-Bit said, that goofy grin still on his face. "She's a woman, a real woman," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean," I grumbled, elbowing him in the stomach.

He let go, but he still laughed.

"You ain't a proper lady," he grinned, trying to press my buttons.

"Bet you wouldn't dare say that in front of Darry," I told him as I started to walk backwards in front of the two of them.

"Oh, but I would, and I'd prove it to him too," he said.

"And how do you intend to do that?" I asked, a smug look planted on my face.

"Well, that's easy," he said.

Before I knew it, I was on the ground in the grass wrestling around with Two-Bit.

"Two-Bit, leave her be," Ponyboy warned.

It didn't do much good though as we continued to wrestle. Lord have mercy, if Darry could see me now. Eventually, he had me pinned to the ground, much like Dally had before. I just narrowed my eyes playfully at him, before getting in the stomach. He fell over onto his back after that, allowing me to pin him down instead.

We were all laughing at this. Even though, I knew that if he really wanted too, he could overpower me with those arms of his. He didn't though and just let me sit there on his stomach.

"You know, you're really a pain in the butt Two-Bit," I said, a small smile pulling at the corner of my lips.

"If that ain't the truth," he laughed.

"I've got an idea, how about a race to the park?" I suggested.

"Is that a challenge missy?" Two-Bit asked, leaning up a bit.

"Maybe," I shrugged, getting off of him easily and holding out my hand.

He took it, allowing me to help him up off of the ground.

"You up for it kid?" Two-Bit asked as he looked over at Ponyboy.

"Sure," Ponyboy said with a nod.

"On three then," I said, looking between him and Two-Bit.

Before I got anything else out of my mouth though, Two-Bit yelled three and they started off, trying to leave me behind.

"Hey!" I yelled, laughing as I ran after them.

The only problem with running this time, was the fact that I didn't have all of that adrenaline running through me like I did during the night that I ran off from my house. Darry had barely been able to keep up with me and he's obviously fitter than I am. The thought of this made me laugh though and I just ignored it, continuing to run after Two-Bit and Ponyboy.

T

Once we got to the park, I fell onto the grass, unable to stand any longer. My legs felt like jelly and my breath was ragged and quick.

"Lord, I can't move," I breathed, laying there and staring up at the darkening sky.

"Yeah, but it was fun though," Two-Bit said, flopping down onto the ground next to me.

"I suppose you're right," I said with a shrug, closing my eyes as I laid there.

It was so quiet out that it was relaxing and peaceful. It seemed like nothing could ruin it. Although as usual, I always seem to speak too soon. About ten minutes later, we heard the sound of a mustang driving through and stopping. This sound nearly made my blood run cold. Looking over, we all found it to be that of a red mustang. Although, not just any red mustang, this one was full of Socs.

"This can't be good," Ponyboy mumbled, staying where he was and blocking me from view for the most part.

That didn't last long though as a few of the guys got out of the car, walking right over to us. They spotted me right away and grinned, walking the rest of the way toward us. Two-Bit pulled a knife out of his pocket as they got closer, ready to use it if need be.

I stood up once they were in front of us, standing behind Two-Bit when he got in front of me, trying to block me from their view like Ponyboy had done.

"This is our territory boys, so I suggest you leave nicely," Two-Bit told them.

"Oh, we will, right after we have a talk with Abby here," one of them said, taking another step forward.

"That's Abigail to you!" I spat. "And I'm not going anywhere with you, any of you," I told them.

At that, Two-Bit broke out his knife, flipping it around til it was in its open position and holding it in front of him.

"I suggest you leave now," he said in a dead even voice.

I'd never heard him talk like that before and it was kind of scary to a degree. He was always joking around, so laid back and never really serious.

"I don't think so. No one has ever stood Paul up before, so we're gonna fix that," another one said, quickly reaching forward to try and grab me.

That's when Two-Bit leapt forward and cut his arm with the edge of his knife, causing the guy to cry out in pain.

"Damn Greaser!"

That was when they started fighting, doing their best to keep away from Two-Bit's knife, while I tried to stay out of reach. Although, when one of them got Ponyboy on the ground and started kicking him, I knew I couldn't keep hiding behind my friends. I had to take a stand and fight back, help the kid before things got even worse.

"Get the hell off of him!" I yelled, tackling the guy to the ground after he kicked Ponyboy in the face.

I rolled down the slight hill with the guy until we got to the bottom, punching him hard in the face, only to get hit in the gut myself. I let out a groan as he pushed me off, leaving me badly winded. Then, for the fourth time within a month, I had my hands pinned above my head.

"Get off me!" I yelled, before doing exactly what I had done to Dally, bringing my knee up hard between the guys leg.

Before anything else could happen, Two-Bit was pulling me into his arms out of the way, while Ponyboy stood behind us with a hand on Two-Bit's shoulder. Ponyboy even had a nasty cut on his face, along with a busted lip. Two-Bit just had a few scrapes on his face from what I could tell, then again, I wasn't paying that much attention at the moment.

"Leave!" Two-Bit yelled, watching as a few of the other guys backed up and headed back to the mustang. "Get out of here!" Two-Bit said, kicking a bit of dirt into the guys face on the ground. "Now!" Two-Bit yelled, his arms still arm me in a protective manner as he glared at the guys.

"Come on Jeremy, let's go!" one of his friends yelled as they honked the horn in irritation.

"Let's get outta here kid," Two-Bit said quietly as he turned to Ponyboy, before picking me up in his arms.

"We're not finished with you Greasers," someone yelled from the car.

None of us paid any attention to them though as Two-Bit turned away, carrying me in his arms as he started walking down the street.

"Keep an eye on that sister of yours!"

That statement made my eyes go wide in fear and anger, causing me to struggle against Two-Bit, but he just held tighter.

"Don't," Two-Bit whispered. "We'll take care of it," he assured me as he continued forward, not looking back at any of them as they drove off.

T

When we got back to Ponyboy's house, we found Darry's truck parked outside, and the front door open as usual. I swear, it didn't help matters when Two-Bit went up the steps on the porch. My stomach was still sore as hell from being hit, that, and I think I might have possibly turned my ankle wrong while tumbling down that hill.

"Darry," Two-Bit called as we got onto the porch, Ponyboy opening the screen door to let us in.

Darry was just coming out of the kitchen as we stepped in, his face falling and quickly being overcome by worry when he say me in Two-Bit's arms.

"Abigail," he exclaimed, quickly running over and taking me from Two-Bit's arms.

I groaned again as my body moved, the muscles in my stomach contracting painfully.

"What the hell happened?" Darry asked, his voice raising as he looked toward Two-Bit and Ponyboy.

"A few Socs thought that they'd try and ambush us at the park," Two-Bit started as he looked down at me where I was now seated on the floor holding my stomach. "Thought they'd try and take Abigail here," he finished.

"It's because I turned Paul down…" I groaned. "Hey, Ponyboy, could you get me some ice please?" I asked, leaning my head back against the couch.

Darry sat down next to me on the floor while Ponyboy went into the kitchen, placing his arm around my shoulders so that I could lay my head on his shoulder.

"Darry…they threatened to hurt Eden," I told him, closing my eyes as I sat there.

I felt him tense upon hearing my words. Apparently, he didn't like the sound of it anymore than I did. In fact, I don't think any of them did.

"Ponyboy, I want you walking home with Eden from now on," Darry told him brother as he walked back in with a washcloth full of ice. "What's the ice for?" he asked, looking down at me.

"Well, I got punch in the stomach real good, and then there's the fact that I think I turned my ankle rolling down that bit of hill in the park," I explained, placing the cold bundle on my ankle.

Darry took it from me a moment later, pulling my leg up onto his lap and placing the bundle of ice against my ankle himself. This made me smile a bit as he did this.

"I'll call in a few favors around the neighborhood and have people keep an eye out for ya," Darry told me, before turning his head to look at Two-Bit.

"I'll call Dally," Two-Bit said, going over to the phone.

"Call Tim too," Darry added, resting his head against mine. "Shepard will know what to do."

After a while a sitting there with him though, feel asleep, my on his shoulder.

T

As they sat there, Darry noticed that after a while, Abigail had fallen asleep. It had only taken her maybe half a hour to a hour for her to fall asleep while everyone talked. They had been trying to come up with a plan on what to do with the Socs. After all, Paul had apparently put things at rest between him and Abigail, but that didn't mean that his little social buddies wouldn't try to fix or change things.

It's true that no girl had ever turned Paul down before, but it didn't mean that it couldn't happen. After all, he had assumed that Abigail had been shallow enough to choose him just because he had more money. That was one of Paul's major mistakes. Abigail wasn't shallow at all, she didn't care about things like that. Yes, it's true that she needed money to get by and survive, but that didn't mean that she'd choose to be with someone just because of the amount of money that they had. Like she had said, the real difference between Darry and Paul was heart. Just like Abigail said, he worked hard to get to where he was, even if it wasn't that far with raising his brother. Darry was an honest man and he was going to keep it that way even if it was the last thing that he ever did.

"Hey, Darry, Tim said to bring her by the lot tomorrow evening at six," Two-Bit said after he hung with with Shepard. "He says he wants to meet her in person," he explained.

Darry just let out a slight grunt at the sound of that. Yeah, Tim probably did want to meet her, but it was probably so that he'd could be sure about the 'rumors' that had been going around that Darry finally had a girlfriend. Darry didn't understand why it was so hard to believe though. Greaser or not, he was still entitled to having a girlfriend if he wanted to. Although, Two-Bit still didn't help matters much when he went around voicing Darry's love life, no matter how much of a shock it was to people. If anything, he'd likely make things worse for Abigail by doing that. Hopefully though, he learned his lesson with the run in that they had earlier with the Socs.

"Ponyboy, I want you and Two-Bit to go pick up Eden and bring her back here for tonight where it's safe," Darry told them, picking Abigail up and placing her on the couch where it was more comfortable.

She let out a faint groan when he did this, curling against him and burying her head against his chest as he sat down with her. She was like a small child in need of warmth, curling up in their parent's arms late at night. That thought made Darry want to laugh, but he refrained from doing so and merely held her against him instead. Besides, that's what a boyfriend was supposed to do, right?

"Let's go kid," Two-Bit said, placing his jacket back on and walking to the door, Ponyboy following behind him.

They both left, leaving Darry and Abigail on the couch together by themselves. Darry found it nice that he was able to have a bit of time to himself with Abigail, even if she was asleep. He rarely got any time to himself with everyone else around all the time. One of the nice things was the fact that Sodapop was out with Steve somewhere right now and wasn't due back for a while.

T

"Who is it?" Eden called as she walked down the steps.

"It's Ponyboy from school," Ponyboy said through the door.

A moment later Eden was opening the door and giving him a suspicious look.

"What do you want?" she asked, her blue eyes glancing from him to Two-Bit and back again as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Um, look, your sister is over at my house right now," Ponyboy started quietly, unsure of how to go about it with Eden.

"Look little missy, it ain't safe for you ta be here by yourself tonight," Two-Bit said as he took a step forward, all joking aside.

"What do you mean?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at Two-Bit.

"Listen, come with us and we'll explain on the way there, alright darlin'?" Two-Bit offered, putting on a bit of his charm.

"Look Eden, we're just tryin' ta help, alright?" Ponyboy told her.

It took a few minutes, but she finally agreed, much to Ponyboy's surprise. He knew that she was rather stubborn, but he wasn't expecting to convince her so quickly. Unfortunately, he thought that Two-Bit had just a little bit to do with it.

Honestly, Ponyboy was right though. Granted, Eden had been a bit reluctant, but she had given in. Two-Bit just made it a little easier for her is all, giving Eden a reason to come. After all, Eden thought that Two-Bit was kind of cute. Plus, she'd never had a boyfriend before. Although, she was sure looking for one, at least one that wasn't a jerk. That too left her wondering how old Two-Bit was.

T

"Now listen, your sister's probably sleepin', so we gotta keep it down alright darlin'?" Two-Bit said as they went passed the gate and up the steps to the porch.

The light was still on, but that didn't really mean much at times. That was also proven true when they entered the house, finding Darry asleep with Abigail in his arms. Eden just glared at the couple for a moment, before turning back to Two-Bit and Ponyboy.

"Let's go upstairs," Ponyboy said quietly, closing the front door, before heading toward the steps.

Eden followed behind them, but not before giving one last solemn look over at Darry and her sister.

**Okay everyone, that was chapter 8. I hope that everyone liked it. I'm sure you can imagine how somethings might go soon. Lol. :) Anyway, please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me. I always appreciate hearing what everyone has to say and their thoughts on everything. So tell me what you think of my story and this chapter. I'd really appreciate it. :) Thanks everyone!**


	9. Ch 9: I Never Said I Was a Proper Lady

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 9**

**I Never Said I Was A Proper Lady**

The next morning, Ponyboy left with Eden, walking all the way to school together. Sodapop never did show up last night, so Ponyboy took Soda's bed and let Eden sleep in his instead. Two-Bit merely slept on the floor near Pony's bed, nearly getting stepped on in the morning when Eden woke up. He just laughed it off though as usual, not really worrying about it. In the end though, Two-Bit was left with Darry and Abigail for a time.

T

"Maybe you should call off today Abigial," Darry said from the kitchen as he cooked.

I just shook my head though. I couldn't take off, I needed the money too badly to take off. Plus, Jennifer, the other girl hasn't been coming in much lately. If I didn't come in, then Joe would be doing everything for himself and that just wasn't right.

"Sorry Darry, but I can't," I told him, stretching out on the couch. "Joe's got no one else to help him right now, so I can't just call off like that," I explained.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're stubborn before?" Darry asked, the side of his mouth tugging up a bit.

I sat there for a moment, just tapping a finger against my chin as though pretending to actually think about it.

"I don't think so," I said thoughtfully, but I knew that that was a lie, I just like being goofy at times.

"Well, you're stubborn," Darry said in a matter of fact way, a small smile on his face.

"Yeah, well you're…" I had to stop for a moment to think of something.

Normally, I could think of things like that easily, but I actually had to think about this one. I mean, what could I possibly use against Darry?

"You're…" I was completely stumped.

"Charming?" he asked, an innocent look on his face as he set my breakfast down in front of me on the coffee table.

I just stuck my tongue out at him as he sat down next to me, stretching his arm out behind me on the top of the couch. Two-Bit just sat down on the floor in front of the TV and watched Mickey Mouse, a beer in his hand like usual.

"Ya know, you two don't fight very well," Two-Bit laughed as he looked over at us, a goofy grin on his face. "You know, you should really think about marrying this one Dar, she's a real keeper," he laughed, hinting toward me at yesterdays wrestling incident.

"Two-Bit," I warned, glancing at Darry out of the side of my eye as he held a curious look on his face.

"She can really handle herself pretty good, even against me," he told Darry, a grin on his face.

"Two-Bit, what in the world are you talking about?" Darry asked as he raised an eyebrow at his friend.

"Well, little missy here don' mind gettin' down and dirty," he chuckled.

"I never said I was a proper lady," I grumbled, leaning back into the couch, the back on my head coming in contact with Darry's arm as I folded my arms over my chest.

"I already knew that she wasn't exactly prim and proper," Darry chuckled, before putting me in a headlock and pulling my head against him chest.

"Darry!" I cried, smacking at him in embarrassment. "Let go," I told him, squirming against him.

"I don' think so missy," he grinned, before ruffling my hair affectionately.

"Darry, you basically just gave Two-Bit permission to harass me," I cried in slight annoyance.

"I hate saying this, but what good would he be otherwise?" Darry asked, letting go of me as I smacked his chest.

"Now, that hurt Dar, that really hurt. Right here," Two-Bit said, pretending to be hurt as he placed a hand over his heart.

He was so dramatic at times. Then again, he wouldn't be Two-Bit without it.

"Besides, he knows when to stop, so don't worry," Darry assured me. "Now, eat your food before it gets cold. After that, I'll take you up to the diner and we'll talk with Joe."

"What? Darry, I told you, no," I whined.

"He seems reasonable, I'm sure he'll tell you exactly the same thing that I did," Darry said, sure of what he was saying.

Unfortunately, I knew that there would be no arguing with him on the matter, so I just gave in and ate my food.

"See, you two don' fight very well," Two-Bit chuckled, kicking back as he turned his eyes back to the TV.

T

Ironically enough, Darry had been right about the whole thing. Although, in a way, I kind of already knew that Joe would react that way. I was hoping that I could work and get away with it, ignoring the pain in my ankle. Darry didn't let that happen though and Joe merely pointed a finger, telling me to go home and rest, that he would take care of things at the diner.

"You know, you could have just let me go to work," I complained, walking along side Darry.

"One day away from work won't kill ya," he said.

"Easy for you to say," I said, shoving his arm slightly as we walked. "You make more money than I do."

He didn't make any comments on the matter. Instead, he just put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him as we walked. I was thankful for this, especially since it was a little chilly outside. Right now, we were actually going to meet a friend of his.

"So, who'd you say this guy was again?" I asked, looking up at him, my head resting against him.

"Tim Shepard, a friend of mine. He said he wanted to meet you," Darry told me, giving me a small squeeze.

"Well, if he's a friend of yours, then I'm sure he's nice," I commented.

"Oh, he is, that is as long as someone like Dally's not causin' trouble and tryin' ta piss him off," Darry said.

"I'd say it's hard _not_ to piss someone off when it comes to Dally though," I laughed.

"You've got a point there. Dally seems to have a knack for annoying people," Darry nodded.

"Well, I'm fine as long as he keeps away from me," I said in a matter of fact way.

It was true though. As long as he stayed away from me, then we'd be fine. I just didn't like dealing with him to be honest. Dallas Winston thought that he was just _so_ great, when in reality, he really wasn't. He was just a pain in the butt half the time. Sometimes, I didn't know what was worse, his mouth or his attitude.

Those thoughts kept running through my head as we made it toward a vacant lot. There was stuff all over the place like a broken down car that had bits torn from it, the back seat thrown over against the trees. There were also a few logs laying around and a fire pit among other things even.

"So…is this some sort of hang out or something?" I asked curiously, turning my head to look up at Darry.

"I guess you could say that," he replied, walking over toward the fire pit with me and looking around for a moment. "He should have been here by now," he voiced out loud.

A moment later, I saw someone walking out of the trees and nudged Darry's arm, getting his attention. It was obvious that Darry recognized him, although, I still had no clue who this person was.

"Lookin' for me?" the guy asked as he walked over to us.

"Tim," Darry greeted.

_So, this is Tim Shepard_, I thought to myself, discreetly looking the man over, taking in his greasy blond hair and dark attire.

"Hello Darrel," Tim said in response.

After their little exchange, he turned toward me with a curious look on his face.

"So, this your girlfriend?" he asked, a small smirk on his face as he turned toward Darry.

"Yep, this is Abigail," Darry told him, introducing me to his friend.

"So, they weren't pullin' my leg then," Tim chuckled.

"Nope, rumors were actually true for once," Darry said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"So it seems," Tim said with a nod, before continuing with the problem at hand. "Now, Two-Bit told me that we're having a little _social_ problem goin' on," Tim started, glancing between me and Darry for a moment.

"It's more than just a little problem," I said, putting my voice out there.

"I heard that they threatened your sister," he said, earning a small nod from me.

"They did more than just that," Darry added. "Two-Bit had to carry Abigail back to the house last night," he stated, catching Shepard's attention. "She couldn't even walk yesterday and she even has a bruise on her stomach because of them."

Now, that really seemed to get Tim's temper going, much like it had done for Darry the previous night. Although, it was still worse for Darry especially because of the fact that I'm his girlfriend and that he absolutely detests the very thought and idea of men hitting women.

"Is there any reason in particular that they came after you that I should be aware of?" Tim asked, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets.

Darry was about to answer for me, but I stopped him, placing a hand lightly on his chest.

"It's because I turned Paul down," I told him.

"Wait, you mean big Paul?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Yes, Paul Holton, Mr. Super Soc as some like to call him," I said, confirming Shepard's thoughts.

"Well I'll be," Tim chuckled in disbelief. "No wonder you got yourself in a rut missy."

"Please don't remind me," I groaned, running a hand through my hair.

"Sorry, but no one has ever turned Paul down," Tim said, stating the obvious fact that I already knew.

"Yeah, well, I did. Personally, I'm glad that I turned him down," I said, crossing my arms. "The man has been pestering me the last couple years asking me to go out with him. I'm not some shallow little girl that goes into a relationship because of money and Paul thought I was," I explained irritably.

"Definitely got yourself a keeper here Curtis," Tim chuckled.

"So I've been told," Darry said with a small chuckle of his own.

"Anyway…" I said, trying to get back on subject with the issue at hand. "We need to do something about Paul's little buddies. Paul may not try anything else with me, but that doesn't mean that his friends won't try and _fix_ things," I expressed.

Tim stood there for a moment contemplating things.

"Well, I'll tell ya this, we'll put 'em in their place alright," Tim said firmly.

Unfortunately, that left me wondering exactly what him and his friends would end up doing. I knew exactly how guys handled things at times, heck, I'd seen it one too many times. My problem was, I didn't know what Darry's friend would do. All I could do was just hope that he wouldn't accidently end up making things any worse than they already were.

**Okay everyone, that was chapter 9. I hope that everyone liked it. Also, I'm pretty sure I've chosen what the next chapter is going to be, so keep an eye open everyone. It might be out tonight, but I doubt it since I'm going to bed in an hour, so that means it should be out tomorrow. : ) Anyway, please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts on this chapter and story. Thanks everyone! :)**


	10. Ch 10: The Burning Past

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 10**

**The Burning Past**

For the next two weeks I kept an eye out. So far the Socs hadn't tried anything, which was good for me, but I was still wary about everything. Never and I mean never, did they ever give up when it came to getting even with me. They never stopped, not ever. This all kept my mind filled with worry for Eden. After all, they had threatened my little sister, and that wasn't something that I was going to take lightly.

Each night, someone was set to watch my house in groups. Someone would take the first watch and then switch out as the night went by, that way, someone was always keeping an eye on things for me.

Although, as the weeks went by, I noticed Eden's growing interest and curiosity toward Two-Bit. I guess it was a bit shocking for me since I'd never really seen her take much of an interest in boys. Then again, there was always a first for everything I suppose. Besides, it was actually about time that she started taking an interest I guess. The only good thing about it was the fact that I knew that I could trust Two-Bit with her or at least I hoped that I could trust him, otherwise, there would be some major issues that I would be dealing with.

As I thought about things further though, I realized that she still didn't seem to like Darry for some reason. I couldn't figure out what the problem was. I mean, he's a nice guy, so what's the problem? I mean, at least with Ponyboy she was starting to be nicer, so why couldn't she manage to accept Darry?

I sighed as I thought about all of this, catching Joe's attention.

"Alright, what's wrong this time?" he asked, folding his arms on top of the counter and staring at me.

"It's nothing, really," I assured him, wiping down one of the tables with my wash cloth.

"Nothing, huh?" he said, his tone making me turn my head and look at him. "You sure about that?" he asked, causing me to sigh.

"I'm just having a few issues, okay?" I shrugged, moving on to the next table.

"Care to shed some light on those?" he asked, making me sigh once more.

"Eden still has issues with Darry for some reason," I told him.

"Ah, Mr. Curtis. Well, I'm sure that she'll get used to him in time," he told me, trying to assure me that things would work out.

"I sure hope so."

"Well, I think it's about time you got out of here," Joe announced, making me give him a curious look. "Don't look at me that way, I know that you have a date with that nice young man tonight. Now, get out of here," he told him, tossing me my jacket.

"Joe, come on, I'm not even done yet," I groaned out, hating it when he did this.

It always made me feel bad whenever he made me leave like this, leaving him to handle everything on his own.

"Now, stop complainin' and get going, don't want to keep the poor man waiting now would you?" he grinned, shoeing me out of the diner.

"Fine, just stop pushing me," I laughed, pulling away from him. "I'll see you tomorrow Joe," I said, waving as I started to walk off down the street.

Because Joe let me off early, that meant that I was walking home today. It also meant that Darry would likely be at home getting ready for our date. He was actually taking me out to see a movie tonight at the drive-in. The very idea of it made me smile. I'd actually get to spend some alone time with him just enjoying myself. With that in mind, I actually thought about possibly wearing a skirt for once, but I wasn't sure just yet. After all, I never really was very comfortable with wearing skirts.

"Well, whatever I do, I'm going to enjoy myself," I concluded as I voiced this to myself.

I knew that the only thing that I'd actually have to worry about was Eden. She'd stayed home from school today, sick with a fever. It was hard enough as it was for me to leave her earlier for work, now, I'd be leaving her alone while I went to see a movie with Darry. This irritated me so bad, but I didn't know of anything else that I could do really unfortunately.

Really, all that I could do was sigh as I walked down my street and up onto my porch, taking out my key and unlocking the door. I didn't bother announcing my arrival though, since I didn't want to take the chance of waking Eden up if she were sleeping.

After I was inside, I closed the door behind me and placed my jacket down on the edge of the couch, before making my upstairs. Before I went into my room though, I went over to Eden's and opened her door, peering inside. Just as I thought, she was asleep. As I stepping inside the room, I saw that the rag had fallen from her forehead, causing me to let out a small sigh.

"I wish you weren't so sick," whispered, walking over and taking it into my hand.

I then walked out of the room, leaving the door open as I went into the bathroom and turned the faucet on, letting the cold water run for a bit. I let it fun just long enough to where it got cold, before sticking the rag underneath the water, letting it soak in. Once it was wet enough, I turned the faucet off and wrung it out just a little bit, before turning back and going into Eden's room. At this point, she was facing in a different direction, her covers halfway off of her now from moving.

"Eden…" I whispered, sitting down on the end of the bed.

She didn't respond, but I didn't exactly expect her to either. I just rolled her back over, pulling the covers back of to her chin and placed the rag on top of her forehead. I smiled a bit when I saw her relax a bit, enjoying the coolness that the rag gave to her. It made her more comfortable.

"I love you…" I whispered, lifting the rag slightly and pressing my lips to her forehead, before finally getting up.

I then walked out of her room, closing the door behind me and going inside my own. I went straight to my closet, looking inside at what I had. Granted, I didn't have too much in there, but I still had a bit. I had to look in the very back of my closet though for what I was searching for, and there I found it. It was a long, dull orange skirt with beautiful embroidery on it. It had been my mother's, but she had given it to me when I was younger, saying that I'd grow into it one day. It just made me sad because she was very sick back then, another reason why she gave it to me.

I pushed all of that that out of my mind though as I pulled a medium blue blouse out of my closet as well, setting everything on my bed. The whole time, I felt slightly embarrassed because no one had really ever seen me in something like this or at least not since I was a kid. I rarely ever wore skirts anymore. I pushed that away too though as I stripped out of my clothes and into my other ones, tucking the blouse into the skirt. I then turned around and looked in the mirror, blushing lightly when I saw my reflection.

"I hope Darry likes it," I voiced, pulling on my only pair of tan dress shoes.

I then walked out of my room, closing the door behind me, before going down the stairs. I held onto my skirt as I went down, making sure that I wouldn't trip on it. Once in the living room, I grabbed my jacket and walked out, holding my small purse in my hand. I also found that funny because I never really used purses, I normally just kept my stuff in my pockets.

T

"So, Darry, what are you two doin' tonight?" Two-Bit asked from the living room.

"I'm taking her to see a movie. I don't really know what's playing, but at least it's something," Darry said from the bathroom, standing in front of the mirror shaving.

He didn't really have that much that needed shaving, but there was still a little bit and he wanted to look nice and clean for Abigail.

"So, tonight the night ya gonna propose?" Two-Bit asked purposely.

"Hey, lay off," Darry warned, getting tired of Two-Bit's jokes.

"Come on Dar, I'm serious," he laughed, messing around with the TV a bit.

"Yeah, well, so am I buddy," Darry replied, stepping out of the bathroom as he wiped his face off with a washcloth.

"You know he's just foolin' with ya Dar," Ponyboy voiced, a small smile his face.

"Yeah, I know Pony, but it gets old after a while," Darry told him, before turning his eyes toward the door as someone knocked, Abigail's voice follow soon after.

T

"Knock knock," I said, tapping at the doorframe a couple times.

The moment I did that, I saw Darry turn around, his jaw going slack a bit. The sight of this made me blush and it didn't help the fact that I noticed everyone staring at me as I stepped inside the house.

"And I thought ya said you weren't no proper lady," Two-Bit chuckled, making me go even redder.

"Two-Bit, shut it," Darry warned as he walked over to me. "You…you look beautiful," he said softly, making me look down as I blushed.

"Th-thank you," I whispered, getting a few more laughs as a result of my actions.

"Come on guys, it's not that funny," Ponyboy said as he tried to help out.

"I-it's alright Ponyboy, it's to be expected," I said softly. "After all, I never really wear skirts," I told him.

"Why not? You look nice," he said truthfully, making me smile.

"Thanks kid."

It was then that I actually took notice to the fact that Darry's chest was bare. He didn't have a shirt on, then again, after further inspection it was obvious that he'd been shaving.

"Hey Abby?" Pony said, catching my attention.

"Yeah?"

"How come Eden wasn't at school today?" he asked curiously, turning on the couch a bit.

"Well, she's sick," I told him, making him to give me a strange look. "I called it in this morning because she has a fever," I explained. "She's been in bed all day."

"Oh…" he said quietly.

"Why, were you worried about her?" I asked.

"Kinda. I was afraid that she'd skipped school again," he told me.

"Nope, no this time," I said.

"Maybe I'll pay her a visit later," Two-Bit said out loud.

"Maybe, but it'll have to wait til later though," I told him, before sitting down on the edge of the couch near Ponyboy.

"Hey, I've got a question for you," Darry said as he turned toward me. "How come you're not at work still?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest.

I just sighed, before letting loose a small laugh.

"One word: Joe," I said.

"You're kidding me?"

I just shook my head.

"Nope, Joe kicked me out early because of our date tonight," I told him, laughing lightly. "I hate it when he does this stuff because it makes me feel bad leaving him there like that."

"Why don't you go put a shirt on Darry instead of showin' of those muscles," Soda laughed, causing Darry to give him a dry look.

"Why don't you go take a shower and close that mouth of yours," Darry told him.

Soda just laughed it off though as he got up off of the couch and headed toward the bathroom, tossing Darry's shirt at him. Darry only put it on after Soda closed the door though, staring his brother down.

"Darry, stop it," I said, watch as he tucked his shirt in and buckled his belt.

He gave me a small smile though as he sat down in his chair and put his shoes on, tying each of them up. Once he was done with that, he stood back up, holding his hand out for me.

"Such a gentleman ain't he. Just makes ya want ta marry him, don't it?" Two-Bit laughed, laying on his elbows on the floor.

"Two-Bit," Darry warned.

"Darry, just ignore him and let's go, alright?" I said, pulling him toward the door. "Now, you guys behave, alright," I said, looking at everyone.

"Yes Ma'am," Two-Bit saluted, making me laugh further.

Darry just shook his head though as we walked outside, placing his arm around me.

"You really do look nice though," he said, giving me one of those smiles of his.

"Thanks. I was hoping that you'd like it," I told him, my cheeks heating up a bit. "The skirt was actually my mother's," I said, catching his attention.

"That reminds me, what happened to her exactly?" he asked, trying to be careful with his words.

"Well…" I started.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I realize that it's a sensitive subject," he said.

"No, i-it's alright, I was actually wondering when you would ask me about it," I said quietly, rubbing my arm a bit. "You see…she got sick after Eden was born and she just…she never got better," I told him, walking down the street with him.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said quietly, giving me a gentle squeeze.

"It's alright…there wasn't much that we could do. Perhaps, that's why Eden is so angry with me at times," I said quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"The last two years of my mother's life, she was stuck in and out of the hospital, Eden barely got any time with her," I explained. "She doesn't even remember that much about her…"

Darry remained quiet as I spoke, taking in everything that I said.

"The only one that she truly remembers is our father…even that, it…" I sighed, not sure if I wanted to continue with that one or if I even wanted him to know about my father.

"Abigail?" Darry called softly, his footsteps coming to a stop as he pulled me close to him.

I just looked up at him, feeling slightly uncomfortable underneath his gaze. I didn't know what to say to him. I mean, how could I tell him about my father when I could even tell Eden about him? I just didn't know what to do.

"Why don't we go to the park instead, that way we can talk?" he suggested.

"Alright," I said with a small nod, allowing him to lead me toward the park.

In a way, I suppose that this was better instead of going to see a movie. After all, it's better if he knows what he's dealing with if me and him are going to be together. That and the fact that I now think I realize what Eden's problem is. It's not that she has a problem with Darry as a person, like me, she thought that I was trying to replace our mother. There was a good chance that she was offended by having another man being brought in. The only man that she wanted in that house of ours was our father, not Darry, but our father.

"You know…she doesn't really hate you," I said quietly, catching Darry's attention. "Eden I mean."

"You figured out the problem, didn't you?" he asked, walking over to the fountain with me and sitting down.

"I think so," I said with a nod, placing my hands in my lap. "I…I think that I offended her by bringing another man into the house, someone other than our father," I told him, fiddling with my fingers.

After a moment, Darry took hold of my head, giving it a small squeeze. I gave him a smile at this, but just a small one.

"I…I just feel bad," I whispered, looking down at our hands. "Other than me, you're receiving the brunt of this and you shouldn't be," I told him, resting my head against his shoulder. "My problem is…if she knew, if she really knew what had happened…" I couldn't even finish my sentence before tears started to fall.

"Abigail," he said softly, taking me into his arms.

We just sat there together, not saying a word for at least three minutes. If I went any further than this, if I said anymore than what I already had, then he'd know more than anyone else did.

"I hope and pray to God that I never see any of you guys drunk," I said quietly, causing him to pull back slightly and looking at me.

"Abigail, what are you talking about?" he asked.

"I kept her away from it for so long," I whispered. "Every night he would drink, just trying to drown everything out. I didn't want her to see him like that, so I'd take her out… I…" I stopped as more tears fell, thinking about how things had been.

"Shh… Abigail, it's alright," Darry cooed, placing a hand on my cheek and wiping away the tears from my eyes. "It's alright darlin'."

"He was her hero, she looked up to him, I…I couldn't let her see him any other way," I cried. "It was even worse when he was angry. Such small things would set him off…"

"Wait, he didn't… he didn't hit you did he?" he whispered, pulling my chin up a bit to look at him.

I could barely even look into his eyes as he asked this, unsure of what to do, but at the same time I knew exactly what to do. So, with much reluctance, I pulled away.

"Abigail, what are you…" I just put a finger up to stop him as I sat there, unbuttoning the first two buttons on my blouse.

I then pulled the fabric away from my shoulder, exposing the skin to his eyes. It was hard for me to do, but in a way, I knew that I had to do it. He didn't seem to understand as he sat there, so I took hold of his hand and placed it against the skin, letting him feel the scarred tissue that was there.

"What happened to you?" he asked quietly, his brows furrowing in sympathy.

"He got drunk, came home and…" I looked away for a moment, trying to pull myself together. "Eden had tried helping me cook and we accidentally burned it. When he got home, he could smell it and got angry," I told him as I explained my story. "I was in the kitchen and he just snapped, lashing out at me with a broken bottle," I said, whispering the last part as I thought back on everything.

"He did more damage than just that, didn't he?" Darry asked, already knowing the answer to his question even before I nodded my head.

It was true though, there was more than just the wound on my shoulder. In fact, there were scars on my arms, legs, back, even my stomach. Some were from fights, others were from him, my father.

"What about this one?" Darry asked, running a finger over my cheek.

I nearly laughed as he asked this.

"That one is actually from me. I feel off my bike when I was younger," I told him, giving him a small smile.

"So, how did you hide all of this stuff?" he asked, not seeing how I could have possibly hid all of this.

"I convinced people that I was clumsy," I said with a shrug.

"How could anyone believe that?" he asked skeptically.

"You'd be surprised," I mumbled, buttoning my blouse back up and straightening the collar.

"How did you manage to hide all of this for her though?" Darry asked, not understanding how I could have possibly managed something like that.

"I just…I hide marks…that's all that I could do," I said quietly, looking back at him with sad eyes. "I protected her Darry… All that I could do was protect her from seeing such things… She was too innocent," I told him, before standing up. "It's what I promised my mother before she died. I promised that I would always look after Eden and protect her, no matter what."

As I stood there with my back to him, I felt his arms wrap around me from behind, pulling me against him. I just leaned back against him, closing my eyes. I could feel the rise and fall of his chest against my back as he breathed, comforting me.

"You know, I'm glad that you were able to tell me all of this," he said, resting his head on my shoulder.

As we stood there though, I felt something pulling at my heart as I thought about Eden, something different. I didn't know what it was, but it made me open my eyes. I regretted it though a moment later as I saw something in the distance. Smoke.

"Darry," I whispered, my eyes widening slightly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, watching as I lifted my hand, pointing off into the distance.

"Please tell me that that smoke isn't coming from where I think it is?" I whispered.

"Oh no…" he breathed, letting go and stepping forward.

It only took seconds before we both starting running toward the smoke, praying that it wasn't my house that the smoke was coming from, but as we got closer that pray vanished. A piercing scream ripped through my throat as we rounded the blocks, tears falling as I saw the house.

"EDEN!" I screamed, running ahead of Darry and toward the door.

"No, wait!" he yelled running after me and pulling me away.

"B-but she's inside. Darry, Eden's in there!" I cried, trying to pull away from him.

"I-I can't lose her!" I screamed.

"And I can't lose you," he said firmly, pulling away me away from the house.

T

"Hey, Two-Bit, do you smell that?" Ponyboy asked, getting up off of couch.

At Ponyboy's comment, Two-Bit sat up, sniffing the air.

"Is that…smoke?" Two-Bit asked, sitting his beer down on the coffee table and walking over to the door and stepping outside.

Although, what Two-Bit saw made his jaw drop and his eyes go wide. Even worse, when he heard Abigail's scream for Eden.

"Pony, that's Abigail's place!" Two-Bit said in panic, grabbing his jacket and running off down the street.

Ponyboy stood there for a moment, his eyes wide with shock. A moment later, he shook his head before calling to his brother.

"Soda, we've got trouble!" he yelled.

"What's wrong?" Soda asked, coming down the stairs.

"There's no time, come on," Ponyboy said quickly before running off after Two-Bit, leaving his brother to follow after him.

"Hey, Ponyboy, wait up!" Soda called, but it did little good as his brother ran down the street toward the fire.

Although as they ran, Soda saw a mustang drive by, a few Socs in the car.

T

"Eden!" I cried once more, tears falling down my face as I watched the fire.

"Darry!" I heard Two-Bit call from behind us. "The hell is going on?" he asked.

"Eden's inside," Darry told him, before pushing me into Two-Bit's arms and running toward the door.

I couldn't help, but to fight against Two-Bit as I stood there, desperate to help my sister. He would let me go though, receiving help from Soda.

"Th-the b-back door!" I managed to choke out.

I knew that he'd have a better chance at getting in through the back door since the lock on it was about shot. All I could do was fall back against Soda and Two-Bit as I watched Darry run around back, the sound of him kicking the back door in meeting my ears.

"Eden…" I whispered, falling to my knees and onto the ground.

If I lost her, I didn't know what I would do. I don't think that I'd be able to handle losing her, not after losing my mother the way that I did.

"I'll be right back," Ponyboy said as he ran off, heading back toward his house.

I just sat there on the ground crying as Soda, knelt down beside me, placing his arms around me.

"It'll be alright," Soda assured me, holding me against him.

It wasn't until a few minutes later that we heard Darry yelp.

"Darry!" I cried out, trying to pull away once more, but Soda wouldn't let me.

"I'm goin' in," Two-Bit said quickly before running around back and inside the house.

T

"Darry, are you alright!" Two-Bit called out as he stepped inside, flames flaring up all around him.

"Yeah, I'm over here!" Darry called from the top of the stairs, standing there with Eden wrapped up in his arms.

Unfortunately, the stairs had collapsed, leaving Darry with no way out.

"Two-Bit, you're going to have to catch her," Darry said, shifting the young girl in his arms.

"But how are you gonna get out?" Two-Bit asked, coughing a few times as the smoke started to get to him.

"I don't know, but you have to get her out of here," Darry told him as he got closer to the edge. "Okay, you ready?"

"Yeah, toss her down," Two-Bit said, holding out his arms to catch her.

A moment later Darry was tossing her down into Two-Bit's arms, telling him to get out. Two-Bit ran out right after that, leaving Darry to hold himself up in Abigail's room, stuffing a sheet at the bottom of the door in an attempt to keep the smoke out.

T

"I got her!" Two-Bit called as he stumbled out with Eden in his arms, coughing a bit.

"Eden!" I cried, running forward as Two-Bit laid her down on the ground. "Eden," I cried, running my hand over her face.

Although, after a moment I noticed something, she wasn't breathing.

"S-she's not breathing," I said frantically, before watching Two-Bit start to breathe air into her, pressing against her chest afterward.

How he knew CPR I had no clue, but I wasn't about ready to complain about it. In the background, I could hear the sound of sirens headed toward us. It was then that I realized that Darry was missing, making things even worse on me.

"Where's Darry?" I asked, looking around.

"He's still inside," Two-Bit said.

"W-what?"

"The stairs gave out," he told me, continuing CPR on Eden until she started coughing and breathing on her own.

From there everything just seemed to go in slow motion as firemen filed out of the fire truck, hooking the hose up to the fire hydrant. At the same time, the ambulance was pulling, the people inside quickly coming to examine Eden and Two-Bit. I barely even registered the fact that Soda had placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. No, I didn't even register that as I watched everything, thoughts swimming frantically through my head. I only snapped out of it when I saw them bringing Darry out of the house, black smudges painting his face.

"Darry!" I cried, running over to him and wrapping my arms around him.

"Hey," he wheezed out, coughing a few times before falling over on me.

"Soda!" I exclaimed, holding Darry up the best that I could as Soda came over and helped me, sitting him down on the ground.

"Darry, Darry can you hear me?" I asked as I sat behind him, his head resting against me.

"Y-yeah…" he said faintly, before closing his eyes, his head falling to the side a moment later as he blacked out.

"Darry…" I whispered, brushing a bit of hair out of his face.

**I had some one asking me about Abigail's past with her dad, so there's the answer AND now you know Eden's issue XD. Anywaay, I hope you all liked this chapter. Please, remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts and ideas on this chapter/story. I always love feedback. Thanks for reading everyone! :)**


	11. Ch 11: The Promise Reminder

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 11**

**The Promise Reminder**

It was like a nightmare when we got to the hospital, bringing back memories of my mother's stay. Also, it brought back the times of my own journeys here. What was worse though was the fact that it wasn't me this time, but Eden and Darry both. I had promised to look after Eden, I had promised our mother that, and now look where it got me.

"They'll be fine," Soda assured me as he placed an arm around my shoulders, giving me a friendly squeeze.

"You think so?" came the quiet sound of my voice as we sat there in the chairs, just waiting for something to happen.

"Of course. After all, Darry's too stubborn to stay down," Soda chuckled, making me smile a bit, but only a bit.

Darry was the first to wake up though. When he did, the doctors said only one at a time, but Soda told me to go in and see him. I figured that it'd be either him or Ponyboy first, but Soda insisted that I be the one to see him. I suppose that he did it to get my mind off of things, but I wasn't about to start complaining about it.

"Hey," I greeted, pulling up a chair beside his bed.

"Hey…" came the sound of his voice, coming out hoarse and groggy.

It just about brought me to tears as I looked at him, taking everything in. Granted, he was in better condition than what he could have been, but he still had some minor burns and smoke in his lungs. I knew that they'd likely keep here for a couple days as a result, but in a way, I still didn't feel any better about the whole thing.

"You know, you gave me quite a scare," I said weakly, taking his hand in mine and moving my thumb back and forth over top of it.

"How's Eden doing?" he asked, trying to sit up a bit.

I pushed him back down though, gently pressing my hand against his chest.

"Please…don't try to get up," I told him, not wanting him to strain himself.

"How is she?" he asked again, wanting to know how she was doing.

"I…I don't know," I said quietly. "They said that she suffered severe smoke inhalation, so I don't know."

Truth be told, in a way, I didn't want to know. I feared the worst, but I couldn't help it.

"When Two-Bit brought her out, she…she wasn't breathing," I whispered, biting back tears.

Darry noticed this though and placed his hand on the back of my head, pulling it down against his chest. After that, I couldn't help, but to start crying. I was so worried and it was driving me to the end of my rope. I was so close to breaking and I didn't even realize it.

"Shh…it's alright," he cooed.

"N-n-no it's n-not!" I choked out, weakly smacking his chest.

He just took my hands and held them, keeping me where I was.

"She almost died Darry and you could have joined her!" I cried, tears now flowing freely from my eyes. "I-I could have lost her! I could have lost both of you!" I just couldn't stop, I just kept talking, getting more and more upset by the minute.

I just kept crying, spouting everything that came to mind, I just couldn't stop. I had been so scared, so scared of losing everything that I had left. I was so afraid of being all alone, just losing everything that I held dear.

"Abigail, Abigail, calm down," Darry said, placing his hands on my cheeks.

His touch calmed me a bit, pulling me from myself and drawing my attention back to him. I still couldn't stop crying though, and from what I could tell, he didn't really expect me to. He just kept me where I was, gently shushing me and trying to calm me down until it was nothing, but hiccups and sniffling.

"I thought that I'd lost everything," I sniffed, my head resting against him as he smoothed down my hair, occasionally running his hand through it.

It felt so good that I knew that I could easily fall asleep where I was.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," he chuckled loosely, running his thumb over my cheek. "Besides, I made you a promise, didn't I?" he pointed out, earning a small smile.

"You did…didn't you," I voiced, remembering our conversation from a few weeks ago.

T

A hour later, Soda finally decided to check on Abigail. When he did he found nothing, but silence as he walked in, Darry merely laying there running a hand through her hair.

"She sleepin?" Soda asked, keeping his voice down just incase.

"Yeah, she fell asleep a bit ago," Darry nodded, turning his head to the side to look at his brother. "Has anything else been said about Eden?" Darry asked, continuing to run his fingers through Abigail's hair, her soft breaths brushing his skin.

"Well, they've still got her on oxygen," he started, walking a bit closer to his brother. "Other than that, we really haven't heard much."

"How's Ponyboy holdin' up?" Darry asked curiously, worrying about his kid brother.

"He seems to be doin' fine. In fact, he fell asleep out on the chairs," Soda told him. "Two-Bit's watching Eden right now actually. I'm still surprised that they even let him in to see her," he added at the end.

"Well, that's good."

"How are you doin' though?" Soda asked, wondering about his older brother.

Darry just chuckled, pushing himself up a bit more so that he made himself comfortable.

"I'll be fine," Darry assured him, turning his eyes back toward Abigail as she laid there asleep, her hand curled around the sheet. "Hey, do you think you could lift her up here for me?" he asked, moving to the side a bit on the bed.

"Yeah," Soda nodded, walking over and easily picking Abigail up.

He was actually surprised at how light she was, the look on his face catching Darry's attention as well as Soda laid her down beside him.

"I know what you're thinking Soda, she's pretty light," Darry said, voicing his brother's thoughts.

"Yeah, she is," he nodded, becoming worried about her at the same time.

"It'll probably get even worse now," Darry commented, though it was really more to himself than to his brother.

Darry knew how it was for Abigail, after all, she did tell him her story. After that, he felt such a great need to protect her, keep her away from any and all harm. He knew such a thing was impossible though, keeping her safe from everything, but he still had to try. He couldn't help it, now that he knew, he felt more connected to her than ever. He was even the first person that she'd ever told, he was the only one that knew the truth now. In a way it bothered him, but at the same him, it made him feel honored I guess for a lack of a better word. She trusted him enough to share her secret, the one thing that hurt her more than anything, the most sensitive part of her being. He knew her past and now he had to try and make it right. He wasn't going to give up on her.

"Do you think that they'll say anything about that?" Soda asked, referring to the fact that Abigail was laying there on the bed with him.

"I don't know, they shouldn't. I mean, they don't have me hooked up to anything, so it should be fine. After all, Eden's still here so I doubt she'll be going anywhere," he replied.

"What should I do about Ponyboy though?" Soda inquired.

Darry sat there for a moment before speak, thinking of an answer.

"Why don't you take him home," he suggested. "You both need some sleep."

"But Darry," Soda started to protest.

"You can come back in the morning, alright?" Darry reasoned. "I don't need both of you with stiff backs," he said firmly, earning a small nod from his brother.

"Alright," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We'll go home, but we _will_ be back in the morning," Soda told him, earning a nod as well, before waving and leaving the room.

T

"_Mom?" I called, sitting in my chair as always as I looked at my mother._

"_What is it sweetie?" she asked, smiling at me like she always did._

"_When are you going to get better?" I asked, praying that she'd have an answer for me._

_My only problem was that her answer wasn't the one that I was looking for._

"_Sweetie," she began, gently taking hold of my hand and holding it in hers. "I think that there's something you should know," she said, giving me a sad smile. "Sweetie, they've done all that they can for me," she said._

"_What do you mean? You're getting better, aren't you Mom?" I asked, my hand curling around hers a bit more._

_She just shook her head, trying her best to keep up the smile on her face._

"_No sweetie, I'm not."_

"_B-but…what about all the medicine, the visits, the doctors?" I asked, obviously starting to get upset. "Th-they said everything was okay, you were okay," I said frantically._

"_Honey, listen to me," she pleaded, placing a slender hand against my cheek, stroking it softly. "I need you to be strong for me, can you do that?" she asked. "Can you be strong and take care of your sister for me, take care of Eden and your father?"_

_I just sat there, tears forming in my eyes. I didn't understand how she could possibly ask something like this from me, how she could do that. I was only 11 years old, how could she expect me to hold up like that?_

"_B-but Mom," I choked out, gripping the sheet on the bed. "You can't go anywhere, you have to stay here, you have to stay here with me," I told her, trying my best not to cry._

"_I'm sorry sweetie," she said sadly, brushing a bit of hair out of my face as she pulled me closer._

_I then watched as she sat up, undoing the clasp on her necklace, the chain falling a slack and into her hand._

"_Here," she said, taking my hand and placing it inside._

_It was her locket, the one that held are pictures in it. On one side was a picture of my mother and father, on the other, a picture of me holding Eden when she was about a year old. The mere sight of the locket broke my heart._

"_B-but…" I couldn't even find the words as I looked at her, tears falling._

"_Promise me you'll be strong and watch over your sister? Protect her?" she asked._

_All I could do was give a small nod as my father came in, telling me to go and take care of Eden, that my mother needed to rest. That was the very last time that I ever spoke to my mother. She knew that she was at the end and she had wanted to make sure that I'd be able to make it through, that I'd be able to manage. She made me promise before it was too late, before I'd never get the chance to promise her anything again._

**Okay everyone, that was chapter 11. I know it was a little bit shorter than usual, but I also did that on purpose. Anyway, keep an eye out for the next chapter, it should be out sometime today. Possibly within the next couple hours since I have the idea in my head and need to get it out. XD Anyway, remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, ideas, and comments on this chapter/story. Thanks everyone and remember, I'm writing chapter 12 right now. :) Bye bye.**


	12. Ch 12: Small Little Tin

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 12**

**Small Little Tin**

When I opened my eyes the next morning, sunlight was spilling into the room through the blinds. I also found myself on something soft and when I finally decided to look, I found myself laying next to Darry on the hospital bed. He had one arm around me keeping me close, while the other laid across his stomach.

I just smiled as I looked up at him, reaching my hand up and placing it on his cheek. I could feel the faint stubble on the side of his chin where he had missed, everything else feeling smooth as can be. He just seemed so peaceful laying there, not a word escaping his lips. In fact, I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't even realize that he'd opened his eyes, the corners of his lips pulling into a smile.

"Good morning," he greeted, bringing his hand up and placing it on mine that still rested on his cheek.

He seemed to enjoy the feeling of it, so I left it there, slowly moving my thumb back and forth.

"Morning," I greeted in return, letting out a small yawn.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, rolling his shoulders a bit as he sat up some.

"Stiff?" I asked, sitting up as well.

He just nodded his head as he tried to straighten his back out a bit, groaning slightly. I just shook my head at this and smiled.

"Here, scoot up some," I told him, moving out of the way a bit.

He gave me a curious look, but did as I said, scooting up a bit for me. I then went and sat behind him, placing my hands on his bare back, causing him to shiver slightly.

"Sorry," I apologized, laughing a bit.

I then started rubbing his back, getting in between his shoulder blades before starting on his neck and shoulders, using the palm of my hand to push against the muscles. I just kept kneading at the muscles, feeling him relaxing and loosening up under my touch.

"Mmm…man that feels good," he breathed.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say that I was just about putting the poor guy to sleep. I smiled at the thought though, knowing that I was helping to make him feel better.

"You know, I can just picture Two-Bit laughing right now," I said, leaning forward and resting against Darry's back, my arms wrapping around his middle.

"You're right, he would be," Darry chuckled, turning his head to look at me as I placed my head on his shoulder.

"Are the guys still here?" I asked, yawning again.

"Well, I sent Soda and Ponyboy home last night, Two-Bit might still be here though," he told me, before snaking his arms behind him and around my back, leaning back and keeping me in place.

"Darry!" I laughed, struggling slightly as he laid on me.

It wasn't that I had a problem with it, I mean, he wasn't that heavy against me. I just didn't like being tricked. Then again Darry was just being Darry I guess, but I didn't mind, I loved him all the same.

"Pain in the butt," I laughed, smacking his chest lightly.

"Oh really now?" he questioned. "Like you aren't one your ownself?" he chuckled, causing me to grin.

"Not really," I said innocently, obviously lying through my teeth just for the fun of it.

"You know, you're a terrible liar Abigail," Darry teased, a smile on his face on his face as he looked at me from over his shoulder.

"And who says I was even trying?" I said, laughing like as I tried pushing against him. "Come on Darrel, I gotta get up," I told him.

He just let out an exaggerated sigh, but still got up nonetheless, letting me up in the process as he stayed on the bed.

"Thank you," I said, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

I then got up off of the bed and stretched my arms above my head, feeling my back crack slightly when I arched it.

"I'm going to go check on Eden," I said, quickly ruffling his hair before he could stop me and then walked out of the room.

"I'll get you later!" he called after me, the sound of his laugh following after as I walked down the hall until I came to Eden's room.

I stopped at the opening of the door though, catching Two-Bit sleeping sideways in an armed chair. I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips as I watched him. He must have stayed all night long just like I did. What really got me though was the fact that he had kept an eye on Eden. I suppose that perhaps Eden wasn't the only one that had apparently been smitten, I guess it was the same way with Two-Bit.

"Hey," I called softly, lightly kicking the leg of his chair.

"Huh…what time is it?" he groaned, sitting up painfully.

"Don't know, morning I guess," I shrugged, standing next to him as he tried to work the kinks out of his neck.

I just sighed as I watched this, before pushing him back into the chair. He just laughed, finding it funny for some reason.

"Just sit still," I told him, shaking my head at his antics as I ran a hand down the back of his neck, trying to find the tense muscles.

Like Darry, he shivered, before laughing again.

"Man that tingles," he laughed, getting comfortable in the chair as he let me do my job.

Just like Darry, I started rubbing his shoulders, kneading at the muscles as I attempted to work out the kinks. He seemed to enjoy it, then again, I'd expect nothing less. Plus, this just gave him one more thing to bug me about later with Darry.

"Boy oh boy, you got the magic touch," he chuckled, causing me to smack him lightly in the back of the head.

I swear, this boy thought that everything was funny.

"Hey, Two-Bit?"

"Yeah darlin'?" he responded, turning his head to look at me.

"Would you mind doing me a favor?" I asked, pressing on the muscles under his right shoulder.

"Sure, what is it?"

I hesitated for a moment before asking, taking the time to look over at Eden as she laid there on the hospital bed, air still being given to her.

"Would you mind going with me and helping me pull a few things from my house?" I asked.

"I wouldn't, but I'd say everything probably burned. What could possibly be left?"

I just sighed, running a hand through my hair.

"Please Two-Bit? It's nothin' like clothes or anything, I can always replace those," I told him, coming to stand beside Eden's bed. "It's something my mom gave me a long time ago…something that I should have given Eden instead of putting it away for all these years," I explained.

"Sure," Two-Bit nodded. "But first I'm takin' you to breakfast," he grinned.

T

"So, what exactly am I lookin' for darling'?" Two-Bit called from Abigail's room.

"There should be a tin over in my closet at the top!" Abigail called from outside.

She had stayed outside while Two-Bit had climbed the ladder up to her room. They both knew that Darry would kill him if Two-Bit even thought about allowing Abigail to go up, so he did it his own self instead.

"The top of her closet?" he mumbled to himself, walking over and moving stuff around. "Hm…"

He kept looking around until finally he spotted a small silver tin up in the corner, easily grabbing it and pulling it out, only to have a few things fall. Out of everything that fell out though, one thing in particular caught his eye. It was a little doll that had been handmade, sewn together from scraps of fabric. He wasn't really sure of the significance of it, but he figured that it was likely of importance since it had been kept for so long, even with the smoke damage that had been done to it.

"I found it," Two-Bit called down from the window, before tossing it down to her. "Anything else?" he asked.

"Yeah, can you grab those jeans hanging in my closet, along with my converse?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure," he nodded, going back over to her closet.

He grabbed hold of the jeans, tossing them over his shoulder before grabbing her shoes, then looking around one more time. He was about to go back over to the window when he saw something glinting from underneath her bed, getting on his knees to look at it.

"Hey Abby, you're gonna love me!" he called as he grinned, reaching under and pulling the jar out from under her bed, along with a few intact records.

He remembered their earlier conversation when she had talked about her records causing him to grin further. Granted, not all of them survived, but a few of them did. At least a few were better than none, same with a jar of cash. So with that in mind he went back over to the window, placing the jar the inch wide bit of wood.

"Lookie here."

T

"Lookie here," Two-Bit said, a goofy grin on his face as he stood just inside my window, the jar of money now resting on the windowsill.

"H-how did you find that?" I stammered, eyes slightly wide, but in relief.

"I don' know, probably a bit o' light from the mirror or somethin'," he shrugged, but still held the grin on his face.

"Well, are you going to stand there all day or are ya gonna come down here?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, I'ma come down alright, don' you worry," he laughed, before tossing me my clothes as he exited through the window, grabbing something else from inside. "I also found these," he said, showing me that he had a few of my records.

I went wide eyed at the sight. I'd thought that they'd all burned and melted from the heat and fire.

"So, did I do good baby?" he asked, still grinning like always as he came down to stand in front of me.

I just disregarded the 'baby' part and hugged him.

"You did real good Two-Bit, real good," I said, a smile on my face.

"So, now that we have that part out of the way, what are ya gonna do now?" he asked, causing my smile to fall right from my face.

Truly, that was something that I did not want to think about, but I guess with Two-Bit's comment realization finally hit that I was now officially out of house and home. I had nowhere to go.

"Why'd you have to bring that up Two-Bit?" I groaned. "Look, just…just turn around, alright?" I asked, shaking out my jeans.

"What for?" he asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Just do it," I told him, watching as he shrugged and then turned around.

Once he was turned around, I took my shoes off and then pulled my jeans on from under my skirt. Once that was done, I slipped the skirt off and started tying my converse up, tucking my blouse into my pants afterward.

"Golly, you still look good," Two-Bit howled with laughter once he turned back around.

I went slightly red at his comment and shoved him, rolling my skirt up and tucking it under my arm along with the tin.

"Leave me alone," I grumbled, starting to walk off.

"Hey! Where ya goin'?" he asked, running after me.

"I don't know, alright?"

"Hey," he said, grabbing hold of my elbow and pulling me to a stop. "Look, I'm sorry, alright?"

I just looked away, clutching my things to my chest.

"Look Two-Bit, I…I'm sorry," I sighed. "I've been taking care of Eden and myself for the last four years and…and for the first time I don't know what to do," I told him quietly.

"Listen," he sighed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Life ain't easy, but that don' mean that you're on your own," he said, making me look at him. "You got all us now, alright, and we ain't about to let ya stick it out by your lonesome," he told me, offering up a smile of his own.

"Never knew you could be so serious Two-Bit."

"I'm just full o' surprises aren't I?" he chuckled, putting me in a bit of a better mood for the moment. "Just remember, we're all here for ya, even ol' Dally," he said, making me laugh.

"I doubt that one."

"Hey now, I mean it, you'd be surprised sometimes," he told me.

"And I'll believe it when I see him do it," I said back.

"Oh, he'll come through, trust me," he assured me.

"Yeah and watch him get put in jail for it too," I mumbled under my breath. "Hey, would you mind coming with me down to Joe's diner? I…I need to talk to him about something," I said, turning my head to look at Two-Bit.

"Sure, why not? Sides, Darry'd kill me I let ya walk alone," he chuckled, keeping an arm around my shoulders.

I didn't mind as much at the moment so I just let him keep it there. In fact, to be honest if I thought about it, I actually needed the comfort I guess.

T

"Wait, they what?" Joe asked, raising his voice.

"Joe, keep it down," I said, placing a finger to my lips momentarily.

"Like I said…they set my house on fire," I whispered, shaking my head. "Look, I…I just need more work, alright?" I pleaded.

"I don't have a problem with giving you more work, that's not the issue Abigail. What I want to know is if you're alright," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I'm surprised that you didn't call in to call off for a few days," he said.

"Because I can't Joe, that's why," I told him, raking a hand through my hair and sighing. "I need the work so I can…" I sighed again. "So I can pay for Eden's hospital bills and afford a place to stay," I told him.

This made him stop and stand there. He just stared at me as though not knowing what to do.

"How bad is she?" he asked.

"I don't know…" I whispered, leaning my back against the kitchen wall, my hand on my face. "When Two-Bit got her out of house…she wasn't breathing," I told him, my eyes pinching closed as I thought back to it.

"But she's okay, isn't she?" he asked.

"I guess…I…I don't know," I said in frustration, pushing off of the wall and walking out of the kitchen.

Joe followed right behind me, walking out and standing behind the counter as I walked over to Two-Bit.

"Let's get out of here, okay?" I said, my voice nearly pleading.

"Abigail, wait," Joe said.

I turned back toward him, a sad look on my face, watching as he hurried into the back to grab something. He scrambled back out a minute later with a couple of boxes in hand.

"I want you to take these with you," he said, holding them out in front of him.

"Joe…" I sighed. "Why do you always do this?" I asked.

"Because you're like a daughter to me," he said, walking forward and placing the boxes in hands.

"Joe…" I whispered, smiling slightly when he ruffled my hair.

"Keep an eye on her, alright kid?" Joe said as he looked over at Two-Bit.

"Yes Sir," he saluted, before laughed.

Two-Bit then stood up and threw an arm around my shoulder, pulling me to him.

"Come on, let's get outta here and go see the others," he chuckled, before dragging me out of the diner, carrying my belongings in his other arm.

T

When we got back to the hospital we found the gang there. A few of them were actually in Darry's room talking with him, the others were sitting outside. I sighed though when I saw Dally standing there leaning against the door frame of Darry's room. I really didn't want to deal with him harassing me again.

"Hey Dally, how ya been," Two-Bit called, ruining any plans that I had of avoiding Winston's sight.

"Same old same old," he said, a small grin appearing on his face when he saw me.

Before either of them could say anything though, I pulled away from Two-Bit and took the little tin from his arm. I then walked passed them, shoving the food into Dally's arms.

"Here, you can have it, I don't want it," I said, before walking down to Eden's room and closing the door, leaving everyone else standing there.

T

"What the heck was that about man?" Dally asked as he looked over at Two-Bit.

Two-Bit just sighed though, scratching the back of his neck.

"She's not takin' things too well," he said, looking down the hall to where she'd walked off to.

"Well, why the hell did she drop all this off on me?" Dally asked, slightly annoyed, but at the same time confused.

"I don't know Dal, how should I know?" Two-Bit asked, before walking into Darry's room, leaving Dally standing there with two boxes of food in his arms.

"Here man, you take it," Dally said, dropping it onto Ponyboy's lap before stalking down the hall to get some answers.

T

"I wish you would wake up," I whispered as I ran a hand over Eden's cheek, trying to bite back tears at the same time.

I then turned to the little tin that I'd set on her bed, opening it up and emptying it onto the bed. Pictures fell from it, along with a hairclip and a necklace. The necklace itself was what meant the most, the soul reason for even going back to that house earlier. It was my mother's necklace, the very thing that she had entrusted to me before dying, it now sat in front of me.

"Eden…I have something for," I told her, though she never said anything.

I just smiled down at her weakly, before leaning back in the chair a bit and burying my face in my hand, tears slipping out and rolling down the skin of my wrist.

The door opened a moment later. Pulling my hand back slightly I found it to be Dallas and my hand started to shake. He was the last person that needed to see me breaking down and crying.

"G-get out," I choked out, burying my face back in my hand.

All I heard was the door close and his footsteps moving closer.

"I said get out Winston, I don't need your crap right now," I cried.

"Hey man, who ever said I was here to bug _you_," he said smugly.

"Get out!" I yelled angrily, standing up and pointing toward the door.

He just laughed and walked closer to me, but I didn't back up or anything, I stayed right where I was.

"Now, that's better. You're a lot cuter when you're angry than when you're cryin'," he said, a grin on his face.

I just glared at him.

"Get out," I hissed, wiping my face of the tears, my hand still shaking.

"And what if I say no?" he asked, stepping even closer until he was right in front of me.

"Dallas…" I swallowed, my hand clenching at my side. "I suggest you leave me alone," I told him, my voice coming out as even as possible at the moment, but he just grinned at me.

"No can do," he said, before making to grab me.

It was then that the palm of my hand met the side of his cheek, his head snapping to the side as I slapped him leaving a nice red mark.

"Ouch," he joked.

That was the last straw. I pushed him out of the way and then stormed out of the room, not bothering to put up the stuff on the bed. To be honest, I didn't even care, that's how mad I was. I didn't even bother saying anything either as I walked passed everyone, walking right down the hall and to the stairs instead of the elevator. Even when they called after me to ask what was wrong, I didn't even reply.

T

"Abigail!" Darry called, watching as she stormed off down the hallway passed his room.

She didn't even bother stopping though, not even pausing or hesitating at the sound of his voice or anyone elses.

"Someone, go after her," Darry said quickly, causing Ponyboy to get up from his seat and run after her.

"I'm gonna go after Ponyboy," Soda said, quickly walking out of the room in hopes of catching the two.

That left Darry, Steve, Two-Bit and Dally left.

"What in the heck did you do to her Dally?" Two-Bit asked as he walked over to him.

Dally didn't say anything though as he leaned against Darry's door, rubbing his stinging cheek.

"The hell did you do Dallas?" Darry asked as got up off of his bed and walked over to him, a hard look set on his face.

"What? I was just riling her up a bit man," Dally said.

"You were what?" Darry's voice came out hard this time, angrier than before. "Do you even realize what you just did?" he asked.

"Look man, she needed it, alright? I mean, really?" he started, pushing off of the door. "Do you really want her moping around here getting depressed?" he asked.

Dally knew that getting smacked was worth it, so he wasn't about to apologize for what he'd done. He'd done it deliberately to keep her mind off of blaming herself. Honestly, if he had to choose, he'd rather her be pissed at him than moping any day. Of course, he'd probably never admit it, but that was beside the point.

"You mean you did that on purpose?" Darry asked in disbelief.

"Now, why would I do that?" he joked, earning a dry look from his companions.

T

"Abigail!" Ponyboy called behind me.

"Go back Ponyboy!" I shouted, picking my speed up even further as I ran, ignoring the feeling of faintness that was starting to take hold.

He didn't stop though and just kept running after me, nowhere near ready to give up.

"Abigail, wait!" he called.

"Just leave me alone kid," I told him, continuing to run down the street toward the bus stop, tears starting to sting my eyes and blur my vision.

The next thing I knew, arms were around me preventing me from running any further, they kept me exactly where I was.

"Let us help you," I heard Soda's voice say, causing me to turn my head and look up at him. "Please?" he asked, the worry obvious on his face.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm sorry Soda, Ponyboy… I just…" I could feel my legs giving out on me, causing Soda to fall forward some next to the bench with me as he sat down. "I've just been in that hospital one too many times in my life," I cried.

"What?" Ponyboy held a look of confusion on his face.

"Abigail, what are you talkin' about?" Soda asked, kneeling beside me.

"I…" I tried to speak, but I found myself unable to, all my senses going out of whack.

"Abigail?" I heard Ponyboy call as he stood next to Soda, feeling as one of them shook my shoulders.

Everything just went black as everything overwhelmed me, sending me falling forward into Soda's arms.

**Okay everyone that was chapter 12. I hope that everyone liked it? :) See? Dally has a good heart, he just doesn't always show it. Lol. Anyway, please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, ideas and opinions on this story/chapter. Thanks everyone! :)**


	13. Ch 13: Realization of a Life Saved

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 13**

**Realization of a Life Saved**

"Great, now look what happened," Darry groaned, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

They now had Abigail laying on a hospital bed unconscious with an IV in her arm. Basically, she had passed out as a result of dehydration and stress. She'd been pushed to her limits and this is where is got her. Although, it wasn't exactly her fault, especially since Dally had pushed her over the edge with his little stunt. The only good thing was the fact that Darry was allowed to leave if he really wanted too, but he wasn't about to with Abigail in the state that she was in. No, he'd stay and keep an eye on her, watch her like she had watched over him. He wasn't just going to leave her alone in a hospital, not after all that they'd been through.

"Hey, Darry, I've got a question for you," Soda said, turning to his brother.

"What is it?" Darry asked, holding Abigail's hand in his own.

"Has she said anything to you lately? Anything that would explain what she told us earlier about being here one too many times in her life?" he asked slowly, catching the stiff look on his brothers face a moment later.

"The only thing that I can tell you kid is that her mom died, other than that, she'll have to tell you herself," Darry told him, not wanting to be the one to say something.

No, if Abigail wanted anyone else to know, then she'd tell them on her own. He knew that she wouldn't want him going around and spilling her past to everyone. He knew that she definitely wouldn't want him doing something like that. In fact, he'd never hear the end of it if he ever did something as stupid as that, not that he'd do it or anything. Darry wasn't that kind of guy. He respected her above all and would never do anything to disrespect her in such a way.

"She told you…didn't she?" Soda asked, already knowing the answer to his question.

"Like I said, she'll have to tell you herself. If she wants you to know then she'll tell you, if not, then she won't," Darry told him, turning his eyes back toward Abigail.

Soda just nodded his head in understanding, before turning back toward the door.

"Well, I'm gonna get something to eat, you want anything Dar?" Soda asked, leaning against the side of the door.

"It depends on what you're getting."

"Burger and fries," he grinned.

"Sure," Darry nodded.

With that, Soda walked out of the room, a curious look on his face as he noticed Two-Bit's absence.

"Hey Ponyboy, where's Two-Bit," he asked, looking around for a moment.

"I think he went down to Eden's room," Ponyboy said with a shrug, curling up on his seat a bit more, a book in his hands.

"Always reading, huh Ponyboy," Soda teased, before ruffling his brother's hair. "Well, I'm going to get somethin' to eat, you want me to bring ya back something?" he asked.

"Sure."

Soda just blinked and shook his head before letting out a small chuckle.

"You and Darry, I swear," he laughed, before walking off down the hallway for the elevator.

Ponyboy gave him a curious look as he left, not understanding what was going on.

"What's that supposed ta mean?" he muttered, before going back to his book.

T

Half a hour later, Soda was back, dropping a bag in his little brother's lap.

"There yeh go kiddo," Soda said, a smile on his face.

"Thanks Soda," Ponyboy said, setting his book to the side and opening up the bag.

He grinned when he pulled out the hamburger, his mouth watering as he stared at it.

"Eat up kid," Soda chuckled, ruffling his hair before going in and checking on Darry and Abigail.

As he walked in he found them in the same position that they'd been in when he left, only this time, Darry had his head resting on the edge of the bed. Soda had to admit though, Abigail was definitely good for his brother. Things had been hard since their parents had died and somehow, Abigail managed to bring out the old Darry at times, making him smile more like he used to. Soda smiled to himself as he thought about it, after all, he'd never actually seen his brother as happy as he was with Abigail. Even when Darry had a couple of girlfriends back in high school, he'd never really seemed truly happy, but he seemed to be with Abigail. So, if Abigail truly made his brother happy, then he was happy for him. He just hoped that she'd stick around and that their little group wouldn't drive her crazy.

"Hey, Darry, I'm back," Soda said, causing his brother to jump slightly, making him laugh. "Sorry Dar, didn't mean ta scare you," he said, walking over and setting a paper bag down in front of him.

"Thanks kid," Darry said with a small nod, sitting up and opening the bag, reaching in and pulling the food out with ease.

Darry just sat there quietly as he pealed open the wrapper on the sandwich, taking a bite out of the meat inside as his thoughts continued trailing back to Abigail.

T

_Everything around was dark, submerged in shadows, invisible to the eye. There wasn't even an ounce of light before I started hearing things and slowly things came to light._

_There, I found myself standing in the middle of the house, staring ahead of myself as my dad started yelling. I couldn't quite understand what it was that he was saying, but it didn't matter as I started stepping back away from him._

_Once again, he was drunk of his arse, his mind clouded by the alcohol as he raged on. He could never stop once he started, no matter how much I begged and pleaded, he just didn't seem to care. As a result, I was the one hurt in the end, each time adding another scar to my skin._

_I took another step back as he raised the bottle above his head, lashing out at me._

T

"No…" Abigail whispered as she started to turn on her bed, her hands clutching the bed sheet.

"Abigail?" Darry called, standing up and leaning over the bed, resting his hand on top of hers.

She just continued, before tossing even more, almost as if struggling against something.

"Stop…," she mumbled, throwing her head to the side.

"What's wrong with her," Soda asked, coming to stand at the other side of the bed.

"I don't know, I think she's…having a nightmare," Darry said, his brows furrowing together as he looked down at her.

She was all but balled up as she cried quietly, tears falling from her eyes as she laid there.

"Abigail, Abigail, wake up," Darry said, shaking her shoulders as the monitor starting beeping from the rate of her I ncreasing heartbeat.

T

"_It's her fault that your mother died!" my father yelled._

"_No it's not! Mom died because she got sick, it has nothing to do with Eden!" I cried out, clutching my bleeding arm._

_I then watched as he started to head for the stairs, broken bottle in hand._

"_No, leave her alone!" I yelled, running forward, only to end up on the ground. "Don't touch her," I groaned out as I tried to sit up._

_He didn't listen though as he continued forward up the stairs, ignoring me completely._

T

"No!" I cried, gasping as I bolted forward, eyes brimming with wet hot tears.

It wasn't until I was sitting up that I realized the pair of hands on my shoulders and the two pairs of eyes staring at me, soon becoming three.

"Abigail," I heard Darry's voice call out to me softly as a hand came to rest upon my cheek, gently brushing away the tears that started to spill from my eyes.

"Darry…" I whispered, lifting my eyes to meet his.

"It's alright," he told me, bringing his arm around and pulling me to him.

I didn't really know what to do as I sat there, the dream still running through my head and making me shake. It seemed like forever since I had had that dream, one of the haunting memories of my father. Although after a few minutes of sitting there I had to get up, the need to see Eden nearly driving me insane.

"I need to see Eden," I said, pulling away from Darry as I struggled to pull the wires off of me along with the IV and stand up.

"Hey, wait a minute," he said in protest, quickly taking me by the arm and pulling me back. "You just woke up," he reminded me, but I really didn't care about that, I needed to see my sister.

"I need to see her Darry," I told him, managing to pull away and stumbling out the door, leaving him staring after me.

I didn't get very far though before I had a nurse running after me and grabbing me roughly by the arm.

"You're not to be out of bed young lady," she said, gripping my arm tightly and pulling me back toward my room.

I nearly fell as she pulled me back.

"Let go," I said, trying to pull away, but her nails dug into my arm painfully as though to make a point. "I have to see my sister!" I cried, trying to pull away once more, only to end up on my knees as my head started to spin.

"Abigail!" I heard Darry call as he pulled me away from the nurse, pulling me against him.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my eyes watering once more. "I'm sorry," I choked out.

I didn't even know why I was apologizing to him, I just was. Perhaps I thought that it could fix things or something. Even with that, I still knew that nothing would change, it wouldn't make anything better. I just couldn't help it though, the words just spilled out. Heck, maybe I was trying to apologize to Eden, I really don't know.

T

"Abigail," Darry said softly, placing a hand on her cheek.

She looked up at him for a moment as he wiped her eyes with his thumb. Once again, she looked stricken with pain and unrest. Something was bothering her greatly and he feared that it had to do with whatever had been tormenting her in her sleep.

"Come on," he said softly, holding his hand out for her to take.

She sat there for a moment, still biting back tears as she took his hand, allowing him to lift her up into his arms.

"I'll take you to see her," he told her, keeping his voice low and soft.

She nodded her head quietly and curled up against him in his arms.

In Darry's mind, Abigail still felt so small in his arms, almost like a doll. Compared to Darry, Abigail was tiny. She was like a small child compared to him at times. Although, he didn't spend too much time thinking about that as he walked down the hallway, keeping her close against his chest. Even as he looked down at her though, he saw how tired she truly was. He had been right when he had grabbed hold of her arm back in the room, trying to keep her in bed. She wasn't quite ready to be up yet, her body still needing some much needed rest. He knew though that she wouldn't rest until she saw her sister, that she wouldn't be satisfied until it was done and that's why he agreed to take her.

Once Darry got to Eden's room, he was met by a half dazed Two-Bit sitting there in a chair, his head hung back as he stared at the wall. He only turned his eyes up when Darry let out a cough, his weak attempt at getting Two-Bit's attention. It did the trick though and brought Two-Bit out of his daze, making him look over at his friend, taking in the sight in Darry's arms.

"She okay?" Two-Bit asked, pushing himself out of his chair, curiosity and concern dancing around in his normally laughing eyes.

"She's fine," Darry nodded, walking forward and setting Abigail down in the extra chair, letting her relax a bit.

"Oh yeah, I cleaned things up for ya," Two-Bit said, a grin on his face as he looked over at Abigail, making an attempt to get her to smile.

It didn't really do anything though as she sat there staring down at Eden. Actually, she didn't even seem to register the fact that he'd even spoken at all.

"Abigail?" Darry tried, trying to peak her attention.

Again, she didn't seem to register a word that had been said. This worried him as he placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

"Abigail," he tried again, causing her to jump slightly as she slowly turned her eyes to look at him. "You okay?" he asked.

"Y-yeah…" she said quietly, rubbing her arm slightly as she looked down at her sister.

"Oh, uh, I hope ya don't mind, but I was bein' a bit nosey," Two-Bit chuckled, scratching the back of his head as he gestured toward the little silver tin on the bed.

T

I stiffened at Two-Bit's words, my hand curling into ball. It's not really the fact that I minded the idea of people looking at my stuff, it was just the fact of the content in the items. I mean there really wasn't much to it, only pictures and a necklace, but it was still a reminder of my past. Perhaps that's what bothered me the most, having others know about that stuff, about my mom and my dad.

"What were you looking at?" I asked slowly, taking in a small breath.

"Just the pictures and stuff, that's all," he said.

Hearing him say that made me realize that he'd likely seen the family photos, like the one with the four of us. What was worse was the fact that I had an old picture of myself in there, one that was taken shortly after one of my _accidents_. I knew that I should have gotten rid of it a long time ago, but I never did. I even remember how I would go into my closet at times and dig the tin out, pulling that picture out and looking at it. I could never understand why I did it at times, I just did, that's all there was to it.

"Just got one question though," he said, making me close my eyes and hold my breath. "What's the story behind this little thing?" he asked, pulling out a small doll.

I could feel my face going red upon seeing it, thoughts coming into my head.

"W-where did you get that?" I stuttered.

"Well, it fell outta your closet when I pulled that tin out," he chuckled.

"If you really must know…it's the first doll I ever made with my mother," I told him, my face still red as I looked at it.

"Ah, so you made this little thing then," he chuckled.

"Stop it," I said in embarrassment.

"What? I think it looks nice," he grinned.

"Yeah right," I muttered.

"Well, if it's so bad, then why'd ya keep it?" he grinned again, knowing he'd likely get what he was looking for.

"The thing looks about as good as Dallas," I snorted, looking away.

The next thing I heard was Two-Bit cracking up and laughing.

"Oh baby!" he howled with laughter, making my face go red again.

"Two-Bit, knock it off," Darry warned from his spot behind me.

A moment later, I heard what would be a whimper of a groan from the bed.

"Eden," I breathed out, quickly taking hold of her hand.

"Abby?" she whispered, her voice coming out hoarse.

"I'm here sweetie, I'm here," I cried, brushing a bit of hair out of her face.

"W-where am I?" she whispered, her eyes searching around the room tiredly.

My eyes watered even more upon hearing her question.

"You're in the hospital honey," I told her.

Her brows just furrowed, unsure of what I had told her.

"W-what happened?" she asked.

My hand shook as she asked me this and I could feel Darry give my shoulder a small squeeze. I mean, how was I supposed to tell her that a bunch of Socs set our house on fire, how they nearly killed her. How could I go and tell her something like that without falling apart my own self?

"Eden…" I whispered, tears slowly fall from my eyes as I sat there.

I couldn't do it, I just couldn't. I couldn't tell her what really happened because once again it was starting to tear me apart.

"Abby?" she whined softly.

"I'm sorry," I told her, trying my best to stop the tears.

"What happened?" she tried again, hoping to get an answer.

"You almost died kiddo," Darry finally said, earning a glare from Eden.

"You're lying," she said, not wanting to believe it.

"Eden, that's enough, Darry risked his life to save you," I told her, watching as she then came to realization, her glare dropping and her eyes widening slightly.

"Those bastards set your house on fire and my pal here nearly got himself burned to a crisp," Two-Bit said.

She nearly shot up right then and there at Two-Bit's words.

"What! My stuff," she cried.

"Eden, your stuff can be replaced, you can't," I told her. "Besides…I have the most important thing right here," I said softly, carefully pulling my mother's necklace from the tin.

"Wait, that…that's Mom's," she said, recognizing the small trinket in my hand.

**Okay everyone, that was chapter 13. I hope that everyone enjoyed it? Please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions and ideas. Thanks everyone! :) Also, check out my PROFILE for other stories that you might like.**


	14. Ch 14: Being A Brat

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 14**

**Being A Brat**

Unfortunately, I didn't have much time with Eden before the nurse came in, kicking us out of the room in an attempt to look her over and give her some medication. It irritated me greatly, but there wasn't really much that I could do in the current state that I was in. I was far too tired to put up much of a fight and it was painfully obvious to those around me. It's also why Darry took me back to his house to rest instead of staying there at the hospital. He was so good to me, so kind, even gentle.

"Darry?" I yawned, rolling over a bit on his bed as I rubbed my eyes with my hand tiredly.

"Yeah?" he asked, turning toward me as I lay there.

"What am I going to do?" I asked, looking over at him.

He stood there for a moment before walking over to me, sitting down next to me on the bed.

"You're going to stay here and keep living your daily routine," he said, placing a hand on my cheek.

"What?" I pushed myself up a bit as I looked at him, a curious look on my face.

He just gave me a small smile as he sat there, something lacing his eyes that I couldn't quite place.

"You heard me, you'll live here with us," he said, before ruffling my hair up a bit.

"Hey!" I laughed, grabbing hold of his hand and pulling it away, though I still held it in my own.

"Besides," he started, leaning forward slightly. "What kind of guy would I be if I let you stick it out in the streets?" he asked.

"A pretty poor one I'd say," I said, smiling slightly as I leaned forward, kissing him lightly on the lips. "You really are a good man Darrel, a little rough around the edges at times maybe, but you're still a good man," I said softly, before wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him.

He returned the gesture, wrapping his large ones around my waist and holding me against his broad chest. I could practically feel his heart beat against my chest as I sat there with him, resting my head in the crock of his neck.

He was such a good man, much like the rest of the gang. Although, Winston's part still had yet to be seen in my eyes, but still. I just wish that Eden could see him the way that I do, as the true kind hearted person he truly was. He wasn't meant to be a replacement for my father as I knew Eden likely thought to a degree. No, he was merely a new addition that she'd have to get used to, just as I was to the rest of the gang. Although, they seemed to take it better than Eden was, but that was Eden. I was just glad that after my mother died, my father wasn't constantly bringing women home. I mean, he did a couple times when he was really drunk for painfully obvious reasons, but still. Either way, Eden never took it too well. Or perhaps it was the fact that she didn't want to get too attached to Darry and find out that one day he never comes back. I didn't really know.

"Hey Darry?" I yawned.

"Hm?"

"Promise me…that you won't give up on Eden?" I asked, keeping my eyes closes as I sat there in his arms.

"I promise," he nodded as he tangled his hand at the back of my head, rubbing my scalp with his thumb.

This only helped in putting me to sleep further, making me yawn and curl up against him. Who knows, perhaps that's what he wanted. If so, I didn't mind giving it to him, especially when it made me feel so comfortable and safe.

T

For the next week, Abigail found herself waking up in the same place. Occasionally, Darry would be there with her, waking up with her in his own bed. Half the time Darry would sleep on the couch, the other half he would wake up in his own bed. Regardless of the place, both Darry and Abigail were pretty much happy with the set up. After all, it allowed them more time together than what it had been before. To be honest, Darry was glad that Abigail was staying with him and his brothers because that allowed him to watch over her better, especially with the current issues at the moment.

Honestly, Abigail was still fighting with herself about what had happened. She was blaming herself, thinking that it was partially her fault that her sister had been put in danger. She had turned down Paul and in turn pushed his buddies' tempers. Not to mention, she had left her sister home alone while she was already sick just so that she could go out with Darry on a date, a night out. She felt that if she had only stayed, then perhaps things wouldn't have happened the way that they had.

In reality though, it wasn't Abigail's fault and that's what the gang kept trying to get through her head. Every time, she just shrugged it off and tried to ignore it, but the anger was still there. Even at work, it still wasn't much better. Joe was always keeping an eye on her, asking if she was okay, everything else. She just couldn't take it and it was really starting to get to her. She knew though that she still had to come to work and that's what she did. She came to work every single day, working longer hours than she had been originally before the fire had burned down her house. The only difference now was that Eden was allowed to return _home_. Even though to her, the Curtis residence wasn't exactly home.

The first couple of days were hard on Eden, but she was trying to adjust to things the best that she could. Given the fact that the house was only so big, Eden was stuck bunking in Soda and Ponyboy's room. That meant that Ponyboy and Sodapop were back to bunking in the same bed again like they used to. They didn't really mind though. In fact, Ponyboy was the one that offered to give up his bed so that Eden would have a place to sleep. It was basically the same concept with Darry and Abigail, except of course when they would occasionally share the bed, but they were boyfriend and girlfriend after all. Eden still didn't really like the thought of that, Darry and Abigail, but she was trying to get used to it. It wasn't exactly that she hated Darry or anything, she just felt like he was taking her sister away from her in a way. There was that and the fact she didn't exactly like the idea of someone new coming into their little family. Still, she knew that Darry had saved her life and because of that something changed to a degree.

As the days passed, Eden found herself glaring and narrowing her eyes at the oldest Curtis brother less and less, slowly becoming more tolerant of things in a way. Still though, it was only slight in her mind, but it was still noticeable at times to the others. She still had her moments of acting out though, but that was to be expected, especially at her age. Her main problem was the fact that she was ordered by doctors to stay home for about a week and a half to two weeks. She wasn't very happy at having to stay at the Curtis house by herself for so long without anything to do. In fact, a couple times while everyone was out, she would sneak out and walk down to the ice cream shop by herself. She knew full well though if anyone saw her that she'd be in real trouble, but to be honest, she really didn't care. Other times, she would be bored enough to the point where she would look around the house, digging through things and being nosey. Unfortunately, that was in her nature though, always such a curious person.

Even as a young child, that was always Eden's way of learning new things, discovering them by digging them up. That had been one of things that had annoyed her sister at times when she would go into her room and go through things that weren't her own. She didn't mean any harm by it though, she was merely curious and wanted to see what her sister had. She wanted to know what was in each drawer, on each shelf, in each box. She was a curious child. In fact, that's how Eden knew about Abigail's glass jar of money that had been kept underneath of her bed all of the time. Abigail had tried so hard to hide it from her sister, but it had done her little good. She always found every time that she would change where she hid it. In fact, Eden had known that it was under the bed merely days after it had been placed, which was also how she got a few coins ever now and then. She knew better than to take paper bill because Abigail always counting them after adding more. What she didn't always could was the large amount of change that she held in the jar. The last few times, she was left searching through the couch cushions of her new _home_, gathering lost and forgotten bits of change.

On this current day though, she was going through Ponyboy's books, looking through what he read. She found herself rather surprised though upon finding a portion of them to be poetry, something that her sister would read from time to time. They were books of poetry by various poets. One book in particular caught her attention though, being marked with a small bit of paper between one of the pages. She concluded which poem had been marked, since the one on the right had its title circled in pencil. The poem in particular was titled, "Nothing Gold Can Stay". It was written by Robert Frost. As she read over it though, she found herself becoming confused, not really understanding what the meaning of it was. She jumped though when she heard the sound of Darry's echo through the house, quickly closing the book and placing it back on the small shelf. She then walked out of the room and down the steps, hearing a bit of noise coming from the kitchen.

"You're early," Eden said quietly, poking her head into the kitchen, finding Darry pulling out a large pot.

"Got done with the job earlier than expected," Darry said, placing the pot on the stove and turning the burner on.

"What are you making?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her, causing Darry to smile slightly.

"I was thinking potato soup. You wanna help?" he asked, trying to include her in something different for once in order to give them a bit of possible bonding time.

Eden stood there for a moment though, not saying anything as she eyed the man in front of her. After a moment or two though she nodded, stepping forward, her hands behind her back in a shy manner.

"Should we peel 'em or leave 'em?" Darry asked, setting the sack of potatoes on counter, giving Eden the decision of choice.

"I don't like skin," she said simply, glancing up at him for a moment before grabbing a potato.

"Well then," Darry opened the drawer beside him, pulling out a couple of potato peelers. "Let's get peelin' kiddo," he grinned, handing one to her.

T

Half a hour later, Eden was sitting across the table from Darry just playing around with some of the potato peelings.

"So…what's up with your brother?" Eden asked out of the blue, causing Darry to give her a curious look.

"Which one?"

"Mr. Bookworm," she said.

"Oh, Ponyboy. Um, well…" Darry just scratched the back of his head, not really sure what to say.

"What's with those books of his?" she asked, raising an eyebrow slightly in question.

"The kid likes books, what can I say?" Darry said with a shrug, before standing up and checking the pot.

"Poetry?" she asked, a skeptical look on her face.

"Well, that's Ponyboy for ya," Darry said with a shrug, stirring up the food a bit more.

"Seriously?" she still had that look on her face saying that she didn't really believe him.

"Yeah. The kid has a thing for books and movies," he told her.

"He's weird," she muttered half heartedly, resting her head in her arms.

"Look, kid," Darry sighed. "I know that you don't wanna be here, but I promise that we're trying our best," Darry said, placing the lid back on the pot and coming to sit back down at the table. "I'll admit, I'm far from perfect, but all I want to do here is help," he explained, watching the expression on her face.

She just continued to sit there though, quietly taking in his words. He was right though, he was far from perfect, especially in her mind.

"How bad are they?" she asked suddenly, catching him off guard.

"Huh?"

"Your arms…" she said, looking elsewhere at the moment.

"Well, not too bad I guess," he shrugged, carefully pulling one of the bandages loose to look at it.

Red and irritated skin looked back at him, his skin slightly splotchy here and there, but not too bad. He had been lucky that that's all he had, a few small burns here and there.

"I…I'm sorry…" Eden whispered quietly, barely loud enough for Darry to hear it.

He still heard it though, in turn giving her a curious look.

"For what?" he asked, watching her carefully from his seat.

"For being a brat…" she mumbled, truly catching him off guard this time.

Although, Darry couldn't help, but to smile at bit at her words. It was obvious that she was trying. It was hard for her, but she was still trying to be civil with him. He merely wished that Abigail could be there at the moment to witness it.

"No one is perfect kid," he said, getting up and placing a hand on her head. "We just gotta keep trying our best is all," he finished, ruffling her hair slightly, only to have her glare at him in embarrassment.

He merely laughed at this though, walking passed her and into the living room, picking up a few empty beer bottles that Two-Bit had left laying around.

"This house never stays clean," he said with a sigh, dumping them into the trash can, before going back to check on the soup.

**Okay everyone, that was chapter 14. I really hope that everyone liked it? Hopefully, it also cleared up a few questions that some of you have been asking. Anyway, please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and questions on this chapter/story. Your REVIEWS help to keep me writing. Also, don't forget to check out my PROFILE for other STORIES that you might like. Thanks everyone! :)**


	15. Ch 15: Dally to the Rescue

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 15**

**Dally to the Rescue**

"Order up!" Joe called from the kitchen, placing plates of food on the counter.

"Got it," I said, walking around the counter with a tray, carefully placing everything on it.

It had been a long day so far, but at least I had things to keep me busy. Even when cleaning, my mind was still reeling at times.

I still remember coming home last night to find Darry and Eden in the living room, both of them just sitting there quietly doing their own thing. I had been shocked to find Eden anywhere near Darry without trying to burn a hole through his head with those heated glares of hers. She was merely sitting there reading one of Ponyboy's books, sitting there very quietly might I add. I was even more shocked after dinner when she had gone to bed without fuss.

Darry told me about everything after she had gone to bed though, leaving me stunned to say the least. I found out that she had helped him make dinner and had been completely civil with him for once. Even the fact that she had apologized to him for being a brat was shocking. She never apologized for things like that and I mean never. Although, I was still glad that she was trying to be civil and give Darry a chance. He was a good guy and he deserves a chance to prove it. I just hope that things with stay this way and hopefully we can get through things then. I mean, it'd be nice to be able to keep things nice and simple for once.

"Here you go ladies," I said as I starting setting their plates down in front of them. "Just let me know if you need anything else," I smiled, before walking off to another table where a few guys had just sat down at. "Evening boys, what can I get you?" I asked, my eyes glancing over them for a minute.

"Evenin' to you too Abby," a small chuckle being let loose.

"Oh, hey Tim," I smiled as I recognized him. "It's been a while," I said.

"I heard about what happened, how ya holdin'up?" he asked.

"Well, I'm holdin' that's for sure," I said quietly, thinking back to the night of the fire.

"Don't you worry, we'll find the ones that did it, one way or another," he reassured me.

"Abigial!" Joe called from the kitchen.

"One moment boys," I said, quickly walking back to the kitchen. "What is it Joe?"

"My wife just called, Rick's in the hospital with a busted leg, so I have to leave. Do you think that you could lock up for me?" he asked, his voice a bit frantic.

"Of course. Now, you get out of here and I'll take care of things here," I said, giving him a small smile.

"You're an angel," he grinned, quickly shutting the burners of and grabbing his coat. "Thank you so much Abigail, I really appreciate it," he said as he handed me the spare keys.

I then watched as he ran out of the diner, determined to get to the hospital to see his son.

"Well guys, I'm afraid that most of the food is a no go," I said nervously.

"Don't worry about it, we'll just have a few Coke's, right boys?" Tim looked around at his little gang and they all nodded their heads in agreement.

This made me laugh. For rough tough Greasers, they were pretty submissive when it came to Tim. Then again, he was also the leader of the group too.

"Alright, six Cokes coming up then."

T

Once everyone was done and out of there, I cleaned up and grabbed my jacket. It had taken about a hour since I did all the dishes for Joe, swept the floors, and scrubbed the tables and counter. I didn't really mind though since I was used to it, even when he didn't ask me to do it, it's just the way that I am. All that I had left to do now was go over to Jennifer's house and check up on her.

Jennifer was one of the other girls that worked here with Joe. Unfortunately though, she hadn't been coming in lately, nor had she called. This left Joe a bit worried, so we agreed earlier that I'd go and check on her after work tonight. Once again, since I was getting out earlier than usual, I was walking home. I didn't mind though since I was used to it, although, Darry still didn't like the idea of it. I didn't want to bother him though since I knew that he'd be tired. I just wanted him to rest and relax, instead of constantly going out of his way and worrying about me.

I ran a hand through my hair as I continued on my way, walking down the street with ease. The only thing truly bothering me at the moment was my neck with all of the work that I'd been doing. I figured I'd get Darry to help me with it if he wasn't too busy when I got back. I knew that it wouldn't be a problem though, especially with Darry.

"Darry…" I smiled as I thought about him, pulling my jacket a bit closer around myself.

I swear, I wish the weather would make up its mind. Sometimes it was warm, others, it was just downright cold. That's why I was glad that I'd brought my jacket with me tonight. Then again, I had to have somewhere to stash my knife. Heck, Darry would really get on me for walking by myself without it, not that I'd do it anyway. I always had the thing on me just incase.

T

I found myself relieved once I reached Jennifer's house. So far, nothing had happened and if I was lucky, nothing would happen.

"Jennifer?" I called as I knocked on the door.

I stood there for a moment or two, before the door opened, a groan following a moment later.

"Abigail?" Jennifer groaned out.

Lord have mercy did she look terrible. Her face was dreadfully pale with circles under her eyes as though she hadn't been able to sleep properly.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Well, you haven't been to work all week and we were getting worried since we hadn't heard from you," I told her.

"Well," she sniffed. "As you can see, I'm sick," she told me, sneezing a moment later. "I haven't called because I've been in bed all week long," she explained.

"Oh, well, I hope you get better soon," I said.

"I'll see you at work next week," she sniffed, before closing the door.

"Bye…" I sighed, turning around and walking off.

Now, it was time to go home and see Darry. I was only annoyed because it was getting colder and Jennifer's house was a few blocks passed the vacant lot which meant I had a ways to walk.

"Maybe I should have just let Darry give me a ride tonight," I groaned, shivering a bit.

Oh well, it was my fault, so I had to deal with it.

As I got closer to the vacant lot though, my luck ran out.

"Well, look what we got here boys," I heard someone say, making me turn around.

"Oh crap…" I groaned, taking a few steps back, only to bump into someone else.

"You got that right," the guy said, his voice coming out drunk and slurred.

Unfortunately, I barely made it three feet before I was on the ground in the grass, one of the trying to grab my arms while I kicked.

"Get the hell off of me!" I screamed, frantically trying to break loose.

I knew the kind of things that happened when people got drunk, especially a bunch of Socs when they got hold of a Greaser like me. It didn't help matters much that I was a girl either.

"Man, is she loud or what," one of them laughed.

"You know, I've been wondering about something. Did you enjoy that little fire we set?"

My eyes went wide at that, causing me to struggle further.

"You son of a-," I got smacked though before I could even finished, my head hitting the ground.

"Now, now, that's no way for a lady to talk," he said.

"Go to hell!" I yelled, spiting right on his shoes.

He didn't like that very much, not at all.

"Well boys, why don't we show her what she's missing by being with a Greaser, huh?" he suggested, a sick grin on his face.

The statement in general made my blood run cold, causing me to struggle more than ever.

"You sure about this Dan?" one of them asked.

"Of course I am. If Paul's not good enough for her, then why not us?" he laughed, tearing open my shirt as the others held me down, sending buttons flying onto the ground.

"Get off!" I screamed, kicking as best I could.

"Shut up!" was all the guy said, before smashing his lips into mine.

I swear, I was so sure that I was going to be sick as I tasted the alcohol in his mouth. When he tried to push his tongue in though, I took my chance in bit him, soon tasting blood in my mouth thereafter. I barely had time to comprehend what I had done before a hand met my face again.

"Do that again and I'll kill you," he growled, quickly pulling a knife on me.

That shut me up real quick as I stared at him, eyes wide with fear. Just the fact of seeing it brought back images of my father when he was drunk, the sharp edge merely millimeters from my throat.

"Now…" he started, roughly tearing off my jacket. "Let's have some fun shall we."

Before I knew it, the blade was slicing down my shoulder and into my arm causing me to scream out in pain, tears falling from my eyes.

"Shut her up," Dan said to his friends.

A moment later a hand was over my mouth stifling my screams as the others continued to hold me down.

_They're going to kill me,_ I thought to myself, trying to my best to break free, but it only made things worse as I felt the blade back against my throat again in warning.

I stopped moving right then and there. Then before I knew it, the blade was running lightly over my stomach sending more tears from my eyes as I choked out sobs.

"Hey!"

_Dally?_

I recognized that voice and apparently so did the others, giving me a second to move.

The first thing I did though was grab a hold of Dan's knife and drive it into his leg. I got hit for it a moment later though, but it was worth it as he was thrown off of me.

"Get the hell off of her!" Dally yelled, punching Dan straight in the face.

"D-Dally!" I choked out, quickly moving away from the others.

I sat there shaking as he punched another one in the face. I had to pull my knife out though when one of the came near me.

"S-stay back," I stammered, trying to stop myself from shaking so bad.

Dally quickly came over and took the knife from me though, taking it and lashing out at the guys around him, trying to scare them off.

"Now, get outta here!" he yelled, watching as they ran off with their tails between their legs. "You okay?" Dally asked, falling down beside me on the ground.

I just sat there and cried, my hand clutching my shoulder, while the other rested over my stomach.

"D-Dally, i-it was them," I choked out, pointing in the direction that they had run off to.

"What?"

"T-the fire!" I cried, placing my head on my knees as I sat there.

"What!" I flinched slightly at the tone of his voice. "Why I outta…" he stopped for a moment though as he looked me over, trying to check for the amount of damage. "Hey man, you okay?" he asked, reaching forward and setting a hand on my uninjured shoulder.

I nearly flinched away when he did this, but I couldn't help it, I was scared out of my mind just about.

"Whoa there girl," he said, almost as if I were a startled horse. "I'm not gonna hurt ya," he told me as he got a bit closer. "Man, they really did a number on ya, huh?"

"Yeah…" I whispered, trying my best to curl up right where I was.

"Lemme see," he said, grabbing my hand and pulling it away from my shoulder.

I winced as he did this, biting my lip when he touched the wound.

"Damn," he said, letting loose a low whistle as he looked over it.

It was anything but pretty, the skin now scarred and bloody. The entire area stung like fire, pricking my skin painfully.

"Where else?" I looked down at my stomach when he asked this, causing his to grab my arm and pull it away, revealing the marks left behind.

More tears fell as I looked down at my stomach. As if it wasn't bad enough with the damage, we both made out what was there. Dan had spelled out the word 'trash' on my stomach, leaving it to permanently scar.

"I swear, I'll kill that guy if I get my hands on him," Dally growled, his hand curling up into a tight ball.

He then stood up and pulled off his jacket, placing it over my shoulders.

"Come on," he said quietly, pulling me up with ease. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I think so…" I winced.

"So, the hell were you doin' walkin' by yourself?" he asked, keeping me close as we walked.

"Please, don't," I said, shaking my head.

I was surprised because he didn't push any further on the matter like he normally would. It was a relief to be honest, especially since I didn't want to think about anything else.

T

When we got back to the house all I could do was stand there. I just stood there in front of the porch, my eyes watering as I pulled Dally's jacket closer to myself. I didn't want anyone seeing me like this, this chaotic wreck. Before I could go any further, I fell to my knees crying.

"Whoa now," Dally turned quickly, checking to make sure that I was alright.

Apparently though, Darry heard him since the door was open, running outside to meet us.

"What's going on?" he asked, walking off the porch. "Wait…Abigail?"

"I thought I'd bring her back for ya," Dally said quietly as he stood about a foot away from me.

"What the hell happened?" Darry asked, his voice raising as he knelt down in front of me.

"Let's just say I might end up killin' me a few Socs," Dally replied angrily, hate filling his voice at the thought of them. "They got her good Dar, they got her real good man," he said quietly.

**Okay, I know that this chapter was probably a bit scary, but it was meant to be. Although, now Two-Bit really has been proved right about Dally being there for her. :)  
Anyway, please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, etc. I love hearing from everyone and it keeps me writing. Also, as always, check out my PROFILE for other STORIES that you might like. Thanks everyone and keep reading!**


	16. Ch 16: Crying in the Shower

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 16**

**Crying in the Shower**

Darry froze at Dally's words, his eyes trailing down to me. I'd imagine that he had plenty of thoughts running through his head now thanks to Dally.

"Abigail," he said softly, reaching a hand forward toward my injured shoulder.

"Please, d-don't," I cried, pulling away a bit.

He looked hurt when I did this. I didn't mean to, I just didn't want him touching it. I then heard Dally sigh as he came behind me, pulling his jacket off my shoulders so that Darry could see what he almost did.

"Careful where ya touch her man," he advised in agitation.

"Hey Darry, what's going on?" Soda asked as he stepped out of the house and onto the grass.

T

Soda froze when he saw Abigail sitting there in the grass, her hand on her shoulder, clutching it painfully. With the light from the porch he was able to see the blood on her hand, that, and the torn shirt she was trying desperately to keep closed. Her face was even red from where she'd obviously been hit a few times.

"Hey…what happened?" he asked, slowly making his way over.

"Like I told your big brother over here, I'ma kill me a few Socs," Dally growled, moving and pulling Abigail up by her uninjured arm.

Tears stained her face as she stood, nearly falling as her legs tried to give out on her.

"Well, what do you wanna do man?" Dally asked Darry, keeping a firm grip on Abigail's arm.

"Let's get her inside," Darry finally said, moving out of the way along with Soda as Dally pulled her up onto the porch and through the door.

They followed right behind him though, watching as he helped her on the couch.

T

Once on the couch, I curled up right where I was, keeping my arms around my stomach. I didn't mean to, but I flinched when Soda placed a hand on my knee.

"Hey, it's alright, you're safe now," he said, carefully pulling my arms away from my stomach. "Glory…" he whispered, seeing the marks on my stomach. "Hey, Dar, come take a look at this," Soda said, motioning for him to come over.

I nearly started crying when he saw it, his mouth nearly hanging open.

"They didn't…" he couldn't even finish his sentence as he stood there, thinking about the possiblility of rape.

"No…but they tried to," I whispered, trying to curl up again, but Soda wouldn't let me.

"We need to get you cleaned up," Soda said softly, pushing a bit of hair out of my face.

The tone in his voice helped put me at ease, but I was still scared. I could barely remember the last time that I had been so scared. Even when the house had been set on fire, I wasn't as scared. When they had come after me, I had been scared for my life. I feared that they would kill me, but not before defiling me first and tearing me apart with their knife. If Dally hadn't shown up, I can only imagine what they would have done to me. The thought brought more tears to my eyes as I sat there, burying my face into my hands.

T

They all sat there in the living room, just listening to the sound of Abigail's sobs of pain and anguish. They'd finally managed to get her into the bathroom and over to the shower, but after that, it was merely her.

Hearing her sobs nearly tore Darry in half as he stood outside at the bathroom door, fighting the urge to go in and comfort her. Unfortunately, he knew that he couldn't and that made it even worse for him. Still, he stood there, the side of his head resting against the door as he listened to her sobs.

"Hey Darry, why don't you come and sit down?" Soda said from his spot on the couch, trying to get his brother away from the door.

Darry shook his head though, staying right where he was. He needed to be close to her so he wasn't going anywhere.

"I…I just can't believe that they did that to her," he said quietly, running a hand through his hair.

"I know Dar, I know," Soda sighed, leaning back on the couch.

None of them really knew what to do, but they knew that there'd be trouble.

"Look, I'm gonna get outta here and see if I can't find those punks that did this," Dally said, pushing off of the wall and heading toward the door.

"Come on Dally, the last thing we need is you in trouble," Soda pointed out.

"Yeah, well I ain't gonna stand around with a thumb up my ass just doin' nothin' man. Those guys are gonna pay, one way or another," he promised, before walking out of the house, the screen door slamming behind him.

"All he's gonna do is get himself in trouble," Soda said, pointing out the obvious.

"Yeah, I know," Darry nodded, finally pushing away from the bathroom door and walking into the kitchen.

Darry hated the fact that he was unable to do anything. Abigail was sitting in the bathroom crying her eyes out and he couldn't do a damn thing about it, but stand around like an idiot. At least that's what he thought anyway.

"Damn it…damn it all!" he growled, knocking an empty bottle off of the counter and onto the floor, the glass scattering to bits.

Soda remained quiet, watching his brother from the living room with a sympathetic look on his face. He'd seen his brother upset before, but never like this. It was obvious how much his brother cared for Abigail and it was tearing him apart inside knowing how badly she'd been hurt, how close she'd been to being raped or killed even. This was all because a few guys decided to get drunk, have some fun, and jump her. Even worse, Dally informed them that those guys had been the ones to start the fire according to Abigail. That in itself made it ten times worse for Darry.

"Hey, Darry?" Soda called, slowly walking into the kitchen.

Soda found him sitting there on the floor, an arm on his knee and his hand on his face.

"Darry?" he called hesitantly.

"I should have been there. I should have stopped by and picked her up," he exclaimed, slamming his fist against the cabinet under the sink.

"I hate seein' you like this Dar," Soda sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I know," Darry sighed, wiping his eyes with the tip of his finger in an attempt to hide the few tears from his brother.

T

I didn't know how long I was in the shower. I knew I'd been in there for a while, but it didn't feel nearly long enough in my mind. I didn't know what to do and my mind wouldn't stop racing. I just felt my lungs continuing to heave as I breathed, trying my best to stop crying. It was even worse when I had heard Darry's raised voice and the sound of glass breaking earlier.

After a few more moments I turned off the water, sitting there just a bit longer. I dreaded the idea of getting out and facing them, but I knew that I had to, no matter how much I didn't want to. So I got out of the bathtub and dried off, wincing every time that I moved my arm. I grimace when I looked down at my stomach though, the word 'trash' carved into the skin.

I felt sick as I looked at myself in the mirror, the bruises already starting to set in, along with the busted lip. I looked absolutely terrible, in fact, I felt as terrible as I looked.

I had to bite my tongue as I pulled my pants back on, keeping the towel wrapped around my upper half to cover me. I then walked out of the bathroom, my feet leaving behind wet footprints on the floor.

"A-Abigail," Darry stammered, quickly standing up from his spot on the kitchen floor and coming over to me when he saw me.

Without even realizing it, I took a couple of steps back, watching his face fall in return. It hurt me to see the look on his face, a few tears pricking my eyes as I realized what I had just done. I was hurting him.

"Abigail," he said gently, slowly reaching his hand out, only resulting in having me flinch. "I'm sorry," he breathed, hesitantly moving his hand away and letting it drop down to his side.

_Darry…_

I wanted so much to reach out and take his hand in mine, tell him that I didn't mean it, but I couldn't. It hurt knowing that I was too scared to do so, too scared to be touched by the man that I was so fond of. I knew that he'd never hurt me, but I couldn't help it, I just couldn't. My mind said one thing and my body was saying another.

"Why don't we get you fixed up?" Soda suggested, gesturing for me to move over to the couch.

I deafly nodded my head and sat down, making sure that I kept my front covered.

My arm still stung like hell, burning at the air around it. It hurt to even bend it and even after finishing with the shower, it was still bleeding freely. That also meant that I was now ruining a perfectly good towel.

I tried not to think about things as Soda sat down on the couch with me, making sure not to get too close. I silently thanked him for this in my head, still looking away when he took hold of my arm. I hissed in pain though when he put a bit of alcohol on my shoulder, biting back the tears. At the same time I saw Darry take a step forward out of reflex, before realizing what he was doing. That made me smile, but it also hurt. It made me smile because he was trying to be considerate, but it hurt because he wouldn't come forward. It was a double edge blade in my opinion. One thing that's needed cannot be done because of the consequences it would entail.

T

Darry winced as he watched his brother work on sewing her up.

Those Socs had really done a number on her and that thought scared him to no end. Although, what truly hurt him was she had flinched away from him. He would never hurt her. True, Darry was a large man, but he was never a brute. That's why it hurt so much at the idea that she thought that he would possibly hurt her. It just tore him apart.

He caught her eye for just a moment when he tried to step forward and comfort her, but then quickly remembered her fear and kept his distance.

There was something in her eyes that cried out to him, but he didn't know what to do. Hold her, comfort her? At the same time he would be scaring her and he just couldn't bare the thought of that.

"I'm sorry, I'm not quite as good as Darry," Soda apologized, laughing slightly as he tried his best to sew her up without hurting her too much.

It didn't do much good though as she still tried to hold the tears in. He couldn't take seeing her in so much pain and being left with no way to help. He wanted so badly to come over and take over Soda's task, but he was afraid what that would do to her. With that in mind, he walked outside and onto the front porch, sitting down on the steps and leaving the two of them inside.

T

I was hurting him. I was hurting Darry terribly and I didn't mean to. Every time that I thought of Darry it brought tears to my eyes. I just…I knew that I was hurting him. I was hurting the one that I loved and all because I was too scared to be near him. I didn't want anyone touching me.

I guess my tears were Darry's breaking point and he left the house, going outside somewhere. I couldn't help, but to cry further at this. I was driving away the one that loved me…the one that I loved more than any.

"Darry," I choked out, feeling a hand on my other shoulder a moment later.

"Hey, it'll be alright," Soda said, trying to put a smile on. "Darry's a big boy, he can handle it," he smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

Even though it didn't do much for my nerves, it made me feel just a little bit better. Even just a little bit felt better than nothing. After all, Sodapop knew Darry far better than I did, so he'd know best.

"He is…isn't he," I whispered, pinching my eyes closed as my hand curled around the material covering my leg. "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble Soda," I said quietly, catching him off guard.

"Hey now, don't you dare do that," he said, scolding me as he started wrapping up my arm.

Even as he did this, I wasn't exactly able to met him eye to eye. He didn't seem to mind though and kept a kind smile on his face the entire time. Good ol' Sodapop.

**Okay everyone, that was chapter 16. I had a bit of a hard time trying to write that one because I wasn't completely sure how I wanted to write it. I hope that it turned out alright though? Please REVIEW and MESSAGE me to let me know what you think? I'd really appreciate it. Also, keep an eye out because I might have chapter 17 sometime TODAY, if not shortly after posting this. AND as usual, also check out my PROFILE for other stories that you might like such as X-MEN (Gambit), FINAL FANTASY 7 (Vincent Valentine and Chaos), FRUITS BASKET (Kyo), and much MORE. Also, some stories I still have to fix since they were originally made a few years ago, but have at it everyone! :)**


	17. Ch 17: I'll Never Hurt You

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 17**

**I'll Never Hurt You**

_His eyes seemed to burn a hole through my very soul as I backed away; those cold, icy blue eyes making me shiver. They were cold and hard, laced with something dangerous from alcohol. I seemed to freeze in my spot as he got closer and before I knew it I was on the ground._

"_Hey there Greaser," he purred, slowly running a hand over my face, his fingers tracing my lips._

_His words echoed through my mind._

_Hey there Greaser. Hey there Greaser. Hey there Greaser._

_It just kept repeating over and over again._

"_You're just another piece of trash," he whispered coldly into my ear, his breath on my neck._

_I shivered terribly, trying to contain my fear, while at the same time trying not to get sick from the nasty smell on his breath. It didn't help matters much with the fact that I was being held down, my arms pinned above my head, and my legs pressed painfully into the ground._

"_Why don't we show her what she's missing?" came the slurred sound of his voice, his hands moving over my front and gripping my shirt, pulling me slightly closer for a moment as he stared into my eyes._

_Buttons went flying as he tore my shirt open, tearing it. Almost immediately afterwards his lips were on mine, crushing, bruising them. All I could do was struggle, tears falling from my eyes, my legs kicking around furiously as I tried to get free._

T

I had no clue how long I'd been asleep, but I woke up with a scream, tears falling as I cried. I couldn't even close my eyes without reliving what had happened. It was a constant nightmare that I just couldn't rid myself of.

"Abigail?" Darry called, running into the room, worry painting his face.

"D-Darry," I choked out through sobs.

I just couldn't take it. I couldn't take revisiting those images in my head.

When I looked up at him, I found him to be a bit closer, but still hesitant. It was clear that he was afraid of scaring me, afraid of having a repeat of earlier.

"Darry…" I crocked, reaching a hand in his direction.

He was right by me within seconds, holding my hand as he sat down on the bed, pulling me to him. On reflex I stiffened at the close contact, but I kept hold on his hand, not wanting to let go.

"Stay with me?" I asked between sobs.

"Are you sure?" he inquired, not wanting to make me uncomfortable.

"I need you," I told him, holding the back of his hand against my face as I leaned over, curling up a bit.

My stomach still hurt and now more than ever with the way that I'd been crying. It hurt even more as the fabric of the shirt I was wearing stuck to the wound on my stomach, pulling the skin when I moved at times. It was only made easier for the fact that it was one of Darry's old shirts, a shirt that was so big it was easier for me to put on and fit into without problems of moving my arm too much.

"I'll never hurt you," he cooed, moving a bit closer.

I kept myself still as he did this, closing my eyes in an attempt to calm myself.

"I know that," I breathed, slowly laying back down on the bed. "Just…give me some time," I begged, letting out the air I had been holding in.

"They scared you something afoul…didn't they?" he asked quietly, laying down beside me while keeping about a foot between us.

"Yeah…" I nodded, opening my eyes and staring up at the ceiling.

The now darkened white ceiling stared back at me making me sleepy. Unfortunately, I still had no desire to sleep, but that didn't stop the dreaded fatigue from kicking in.

"Darry?" I whispered, slowly turning my head to look at him.

"Yeah, Abigail?"

"What if…what if Dally h-hadn't been around?" I whispered, biting back tears as my thoughts went back to everything that had happened.

"Hey now," Darry started, placing a hand on my cheek despite my flinching. "Don't start thinking about 'what if's'. I might have lost you if not for Dally," he said, gently stroking my cheek with his thumb. "He was there, simple as that," he told me.

"I know, but…I…I can't stop thinking about it," I cried, pinching my eyes shut. "Every time I close my eyes I-I see it. It just won't leave me alone," I choked out, my body shaking as I cried, jarring my stomach and shoulder.

"Shh…" he cooed softly as he pressed his forehead lightly against mine. "I-it'll be alright," he told me, trying to reassure me of things.

"Darry…" I breathed, tightening my grip on his hand.

He gave me the best smile that he could and pulled me to him. Even when I tensed, he still didn't let go and I was thankful for that as I began to sob into his chest, soaking the white wife beater that he wore. He just held me there, rubbing my back in an attempt to comfort me. I was so uncomfortable and yet at the same time I wasn't. I was happy to be in his arms, to have them wrapped around me keeping me safe, but it scared me at the same time. Those guys had really screwed me up and it was slowly starting to tear away at my sanity.

"It'll be alright," he whispered, stroking my hair as he buried his face in the side of it.

After a few minutes of this, I felt something wet on my skin causing me to pull away slightly and look up. I was slightly shocked upon seeing his watery eyes.

"Darry," I whispered, the corners of my lips tugging up into a small smile.

He was a truly caring man at heart, even if he didn't always show it flat out. Although, he never seemed to lack kindness and love when it came to me. That's why the other guys gave him strange looks at times because he wasn't normally like that, at least not in that manner or degree.

"I'm the one that's supposed to be crying," I joked lightly, making him smile as a result.

I tried to hide a yawn as I laid there next to him, but failed miserably, only resulting in a gentle laugh springing from Darry's throat.

"You should sleep," he told me, brushing a bit of hair out of my face.

"But…" I started thinking back to the nightmare.

"I'll be right here when you wake up," he promised.

"Alright," I whispered, giving him a small nod as I closed my eyes.

Although, even with him there next to me I couldn't fall asleep. I kept opening my eyes every few minutes, each time finding Darry's big blue eyes staring back at me.

"Darry, this isn't working," I sighed, groaning as I looked up at him.

He ran a hand through my hair and gave me a small smile.

"I want you to try something," he said, pulling back slightly. "You ever been to the country?" he asked.

"No… No I haven't," I replied honestly. "Why?"

"My parents used to take us there on the weekend, me, Pony, and Soda," he told me.

"Must have been nice," I said quietly.

"It was…" he sighed, closing his eyes. "It was just the five of us, just us and the and the open sky," he said.

"What was it like out in the country?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Well, it's quiet all around, just the green grass and blue sky," he said.

"Yeah?" I smiled a bit as I closed my eyes, envisioning the quiet.

"There's nothing for miles around, just the land and quiet," he said, sighing at the memory of it. "In the morning, you can sit there and watch the sun come up, watch as all the colors paint the sky," he whispered, his voice drifting through my mind.

I could picture the sun coming up as I laid in the soft grass, a light breeze blowing and cooling my skin.

"Tell me about the colors?" I whispered, letting out a small yawn.

"The darkness blue fades away, slowly turning to purple and pink. They're subtle at first, before growing brighter, mixing with orange as the night breaks away turning into dawn."

T

"You can even hear the birds chirping as they start their day. You can feel the dew on the grass," he said, smiling at the thought of it.

When he opened his eyes, he found Abigail's to be closed, her breathing calm and even. She was actually at peace as she laid there with him, her breathing coming out in soft cycles of warm air. Her features were calm and poised, gentle and innocent. She was at peace and nothing could change that.

"Sleep well, Abigail," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "I love you."

T

I woke up to the rays of light shining in from the window, drawing me from my sleep. I yawned, rubbing my eyes as I opened them, before jumping back slightly with a start.

Darry was laying there asleep, eyes closed, chest raising and falling. I felt ashamed for jumping back, but it was on reflex. I didn't mean to, it just happened. I was just glad that he wasn't awake to see it.

"I'm sorry Darry," I whispered, reaching forward and placing a hand on his cheek.

I could feel the light stubble on his face, the faint scruff bristling against the skin of my hand. It was then that I leaned forward, pressing my lips lightly to his, before pulling back quickly. It was a bit of a struggle to do that, but I felt I had to, to show him that I loved him even if he was still asleep. After that, I left the room, going downstairs and into the kitchen. I figured that the least I could do was fix breakfast, that way I could thank Soda and Darry for trying to help me last night. I just wish that I could get Dally over in order to do the same thing. Although, I had a feeling that it was going to happen.

"I just hope he didn't do what I think he did," I said quietly, pulling eggs from the fridge while turning on the burner.

I cracked the shells against the side of the skillet, dropping the contents in the skillet, the sound of it bubbling soon following as they began to cook. While I waited for this, I pulled plates from the cabinet, along with a few cups and set them on the table. After that, I went back to the eggs and turned them over, waiting a few moments for the other side to cook. Once I found it sufficiently cooked, I picked the handle of the skillet up with a hand towel, moving back over to the table and sliding them onto a plate that I'd placed in the middle of the table. I practically jumped out of my skin when I heard Soda's voice, turning around to face him.

"How ya feelin'?" he asked, keeping himself at a distance as he spoke.

"I-I'm doing better," I stammered, moving away to grab the milk out of the refrigerator.

"You know, one of us could have handled the cooking," he chuckled, sitting down at the table and grabbing a plate.

"W-where's Ponyboy?" I asked, setting the bottle of milk down in front of him on the table.

"He's still sleepin'," he told me, pouring himself some milk before raking a few eggs onto his plate. "Mmm, this looks good," he grinned, before shoveling some of it into his mouth.

I just shook my head, before placing some bread in the toaster, going back to the stove after a moment.

"With the way that you're shoveling it down, I'm going to have to made more," I pointed out, earning a merry laugh in return.

I shook my head once more, before emptying a few more eggs into the skillet, the popping sound nearly making me jump. If something like this made me jump, I could only imagine how much worse things would be when I left the house. Unfortunately, something would eventually set me off and I'd be right back in the same sticky mess that I was in before.

"What's wrong?" I heard Soda ask above the crackling and popping from the skillet.

I glanced over at him for a moment, trying to bite back a few tears.

"It's nothin'," I told him, rubbing my eyes in irritation.

He didn't say anything after that, merely going back to his food instead. When the eggs were done, I brought them over to the table, putting them right with the rest of them. I then went over to the toaster, pulling the toast out and tossing them onto the plate with the eggs.

"You got work today?" I asked, pulling a stick of butter from the fridge for the toast.

"Nah, me and Steve are taking the day off," he said.

I froze slightly at his words. That meant that Steve would be over here before too long, probably the same with Two-Bit. That also meant that they'd see what happened to me.

"Great…" I muttered, letting out a sigh.

"Hm?"

"Nothing Soda, it's nothin'," I whispered, running a hand through my hair. "I'm gonna go wake Darry up," I said, walking out of the room and back upstairs.

Soda didn't say a word as I did that, staying right where he was.

"Darry," I called, walking into the room.

He was still sleeping on the bed when I walked in, the sound of faint snoring meeting my ears. I couldn't help, but to laugh at this, finding it sort of cute and amusing. I'm not really sure why I found it amusing, but I did.

"Darry," I called, walking over and nudging him a bit. "Darry," I sung, shaking him a bit, but all he did was groan slightly and turn over from his side onto his stomach.

I sighed as I shook my head, walking over to the other side and crawling onto the bed next to him.

"Darry," I nudged, but still got no response. "Come on," I sighed in exasperation, poking his cheek with my finger.

I laughed as I watched his face twitch slightly.

"Come on you big lug, wake up," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "Darrel, I'm giving you to the count of three to get up," I stated. "One…" I started. "Two…" I rose an eyebrow. "Three. That's it," I said, getting up off of the bed and walking back downstairs.

Soda was still at the table finishing up his breakfast.

"Hey, Soda, do me a favor and kick your brother out of bed," I said, walking back into the kitchen.

"Who? Darry or Pony?" he asked, giving me a questionable look.

"Who did I just try to get up?" I asked, giving him an obvious hint.

He just grinned at me and stood up, walking over toward the bathroom with his empty cup in hand.

"I'm gonna have fun with this one," he chuckled, quickly going up the stairs once he had it filled with water.

A minute later, I heard a yell and then a loud thump. I could only imagine what he had done to Darry and the scene in general.

"Damn it, get back here!" Darry yelled.

Soda was just laughing away as he glided down the stairs and into the kitchen, quickly hiding behind me with the grin of his plastered upon his face.

"H-hey!" I stammered as he gripped my shoulders lightly, startling me in the process.

"I swear, when I get ahold of you," Darry started, walking into the kitchen.

He stopped though upon seeing Soda hiding behind me, giving him a hard look.

"I told you to get up and I tried waking you, but you wouldn't get up," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "All I did was tell him to kick you out of bed."

"You mean by having him throw water in my face while I was sleeping?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Hey, I never said that, I just wanted you up and out of bed," I told him. "And you," I started, moving away from Soda a bit. "You should probably still run," I said, moving up against the fridge as Darry sprung forward to grab him, both of them running out the back door.

"Can on Darry, can't you take a joke?" Soda laughed as Darry caught him, tackling him down to the ground and wrestling around with him.

This is the first time that I'd actually seen him loosen up with one of his brothers. Even though he was annoyed with Soda, he was at ease, messing around and wrestling with him like any other good natured brothers likely would. It made me smile knowing that he could loosen up with them at times and have a good time. I knew that he was different with me compared to how he was with them, so it made me happy knowing that I got a chance to see him like this as I watched from the doorway, leaning up against the frame.

"You know, I worked hard to make all that food, it'd be a shame for it to sit around and get cold," I called, allowing a small grin upon my face when Darry stopped all of a sudden.

"Wait, you made breakfast?"

"Who else?" I shrugged turning back around only to be met by Ponyboy standing there, a shocked look on his face.

"Glory howdy, what happened?" Pony asked, hesitantly stepping forward.

I'd completely forgotten what my face must have looked like, causing me to take a step back.

"Ponyboy, don't stare," Darry said, getting on his younger brother as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

Ponyboy gave him a look of uncertainty as he glanced at me again, rubbing the back of his neck. Before anyone could say anything though the phone rang, leaving us all silent as Darry walked over and answered.

"Hello?" he answered, pressing the phone to his ear. "Dally?" I watched his face change a bit in slight surprise. "You what? We told you not to," he groaned.

That was my cue to come forward, taking the phone from his hand.

"Dally?"

"Hey there princess, how ya feelin' man?" he asked, his voice a bit strained.

"Fine," I said quietly.

"Now, we both know that's a lie," he pointed out.

"You asked, I gave you an answer," I shrugged. "Now, what did you do?" I asked, wanted an answer out of him.

"Got hauled in man, cops caught me," he said.

"What did you do?" I repeated, wanting a straight answer.

"I found the guy that did that to ya man," he told me. "I beat the shit outta him man, but one of his buddies ran off and called the damn cops on me," he spat.

"Dally…you would have been more use here," I whispered, admitting my feelings.

"Hey, don't worry man, I'll be back in a month or two. Three tops," he said. "Just try not to get into anymore trouble."

"Next time I see you, I'm going to smack you," I said flatly.

"Go right ahead," he chuckled.

I just sighed, pressing my forehead against the wall.

"Thanks Dal…" I whispered, before handing the phone back to Darry.

After that, I walked out back, going and sitting on the trunk of one of the busted cars out back. Whenever Sodapop wasn't working down at the DX working on stuff down there or hanging out with Steve, he was in the back working on either of the two broken down cars. Steve would occasionally help him with it if he was in the mood, but as long as he was doing something with his buddy Soda, he didn't really seem to care. Even with my technically short time with everyone, I had still come to notice the Soda and Steve were practically glued to each other and going everywhere together just about. Whenever I was Steve, he was always with Soda. Just then, almost as if irony was striking me down, I heard Steve inside the house.

Voices were going back and forth trying to explain things, explain what happened to me. It bugged me to no end knowing that I was the subject of choice. I knew that the guys needed to know what happened, but it still bugged me that they were finding out. Hell, it'd be even worse whenever Eden showed up.

I had allowed her to go home with a friend yesterday and she'd spent the night at their house. She'd yet come home.

I turned my head when I heard a car driving up toward me, looking over to find Two-Bit in the driver's seat as he pulled up and parked beside the house. He froze the moment he saw me, his jaw dropping at the sight.

"Lordy… What in tar nation happened to ya?" he asked, trotting right over to my side.

I just looked away and pulled my knees up to my chest.

I didn't want to answer him, I didn't want to answer his questions. Hell, I didn't even want to think about it. Just the question in general made me think back to last night, causing a shiver to run down my spine.

"Steve, get back here," I heard Soda yell, before Steve came walking out back.

He came right over to me causing me to flinch and move away, nearly falling off of the car. He grabbed my arm though before that could happen, but pulled my shirt up a moment later, looking at the marks on my stomach.

"Get off!" I yelled, pulled away only to fall off this time, quickly picking myself up afterward as I held my shoulder. "Just…d-don't touch me," I choked out, moving away from both of them.

"Come on Abby," Two-Bit tried, moving toward me a bit.

"The hell do I have to do to get you people to leave me the hell alone!" I choked out, backing up into the other car.

"You okay babe?" Two-Bit asked, his eyes now filled with worry.

Before I was completely against the car, I fell backwards, falling down onto my butt. Tears started falling and I couldn't stop them. It was even worse because everyone could see my tears as they came to stand around me.

I yanked away though, flinching when I felt someone place their hand on my shoulder, only finding out afterward that it was Darry.

"I-I'm sorry," I said, noticing the hurt look on his face.

He just shook his head though, crouching down in front of me before looking at the guys.

"We can't let this happen ever again," he said, placing a hand on my uninjured shoulder.

"What the heck happened?" Two-Bit asked.

When he asked this, I stood up, quickly wiping my.

"I'm tired of questions," I mumbled, before quickly walking back into the house.

I stopped in the doorway though, glancing back at everyone.

"I'm going back upstairs… I made plenty of food if you guys want it," I said, moving back inside.

**Okay everyone, that was chapter 17. I hope everyone liked it. This one was definitely easier to write than the last one. Please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, ideas, opinions, etc. I always loving hearing what all of you have to say. It makes me happy and keeps me writing. Thanks again everyone! :)**


	18. Ch 18: Never Said You Were Stupid

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 18**

**Never Said You Were Stupid**

"Shouldn't someone go and talk to her?" Ponyboy asked, sitting there on the couch with Two-Bit.

"Heck, I still wanna know what happened to her," Two-Bit said.

Darry sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"If I tell you, you can't go running and bothering her, got it?"

"Course," Two-Bit nodded, waiting for Darry to talk some more.

"Dally brought her home last night…" he started, looking away from the group as his hand curled dangerously. "She got jumped, they hurt her, and scared her somethin' afoul," he said, going over and putting his dish in the sink. "He was merely walking by when he saw them," he continued, walking back into the living room. "They pulled a knife on her, stabbed her, and carved the word trash on her stomach…" he said solemnly.

"Bastards," Two-Bit breathed, his hands curling around his pants legs til his knuckles started turning white.

"And get this, they're the very same guys that started the fire," Darry said, catching everyone's attention save for Soda's since he already knew.

"What!" Two-Bit exclaimed, standing up from his seat. "You're tellin' me that those bastards are the very same ones that did all that?" he just couldn't believe it.

"Yeah and Dally went right on after 'em last night," Darry sighed.

"Wait, ol' Dally didn't get hauled in did he?" Johnny asked nervously.

"I'm afraid so," Darry nodded. "Said he knocked the guy's teeth in," he chuckled slightly, wishing he could have been there to do the same thing.

"Well, good for him," Steve said, taking pride in the fact that Dally had been able to get ahold of one of those no good bastards.

After that, it was quiet for a few minutes, except for the sounds coming from upstairs. They weren't completely sure what she was doing up there, but they could hear her pacing back and forth every now and then, occasionally throwing a fist against the wall.

Darry wasn't kidding when he said that those Socs had scared her something afoul. It bothered her far more than any of them realized. Steve's little stunt in general had practically scared her half to death when he had lifted up her shirt to see the markings on her stomach. He hadn't meant to scare her, he just wanted to confirm what Darry had told him, he had to see it with his own eyes and he did. Like everyone else in the house, he had been outraged at merely even knowing what those Socs had done to her.

"I'm gonna try talkin' to her. There's no reason for her to stay up there all day and not eat," Ponyboy said, getting up off of the couch and heading toward the stairs.

Surprisingly, no one stopped him and he was allowed to continue, climbing the stairs up to his brother's room.

T

I couldn't sit still, couldn't stay still, couldn't do anything. It was driving me nuts, leaving me pacing back and forth, occasionally throwing my fist against a wall. I didn't know what to do. I was so annoyed, so distressed.

"Damn it!" I hissed, pulling at my hair as I slid down against the side of the bed.

This whole thing was driving me crazy. I couldn't be around anyone without jumping or flinching. Darry couldn't even touch me without causing a problem and it hurt.

"Abigail?"

I turned my head toward the creaking of the door, finding Ponyboy standing there awkwardly.

"P-Ponyboy," I stammered, my hands still buried in my hair.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice a bit nervous and somewhat hesitant.

"Fine," I said quietly.

"You know," he started, walking over and sitting down beside me. "You don't have to lie," he said, rubbing his arm slightly.

"If you knew I was going to lie, then why ask?"

He just shrugged his shoulders and leaned his head back a bit.

"I don't know, just felt like the right thing to do I guess," he said honestly.

"I'll be fine…eventually," I said, whispering the last part.

"I know things ain't easy, but we're tryin," he said, trying his best to comfort me.

"You know, I appreciate what you're tryin' to do Pony, I really do," I told him, trying my best to rope up some sort of smile.

"I mean it," he said once more.

"I know kid, I know," I sighed quietly, laying my head back as well.

I don't know why, but for once in my life, I was actually sitting there wishing that Dally was around. I know it sounds crazy, but for some reason I just wanted him there. I didn't know what he could possibly manage to do for me, but I really didn't care to be honest. Although, I was definitely going to hit him when he got out. He had good intensions in going after those guys, but he should have just stayed with us where he could be of more use. After all, Darry couldn't be with me all the time, nor could Two-Bit, Soda, Steve, Ponyboy or Johnny. Even Shepard's gang wouldn't be there all the time to keep an eye on things, but Dally seemed to do a good job at it when he was around.

"Why don't you come back down stairs and get something to eat?" he asked, giving me a hopeful look.

I just shook my head though.

"No, I think I'm just going to stay up here and go back to sleep for a while," I told him, closing my eyes for a moment.

"But…" he started, but I stopped him by putting a hand up.

"Just go back downstairs Pony. If you don't hurry, there won't be nothin' left for ya to eat," I said, slowly getting up and laying down on Darry's bed. "Go on kid, I'll be fine. Oh yeah, tell Darry to call Joe for me? Tell him I'm sick and can't come in today."

T

Ponyboy sighed as he closed the door to his brother's room, walking back down the stairs and into the living room.

"What'd she say?" Soda asked, his hand curling and uncurling.

"Not much. Said she's goin' back to sleep for a while though," Pony said quietly, walking into the kitchen passed Darry and grabbing a bit of what was left of the food. "She did tell me to ask you to call Joe though," Ponyboy said, turning to look at his eldest brother.

"Joe?" Darry questioned.

"Yeah. She said to tell him that she's sick and can't come in today," he told him, causing him to sigh.

"Great, her idea of being 'sick', is getting stabbed and beat up," Darry groaned.

Leave it to Abigail to try and get by with things.

Unfortunately, Darry knew the real reason behind it. She didn't want to tell Joe herself because she hated lying to the man. Also, she probably didn't want him knowing what happened to her if at all necessary. She'd probably just put makeup on and try to cover things up. He knew though that I'd be harder than just that. She'd have to face him eventually, just like she'd have to face all of the customers without breaking down or having an episode. They didn't know what would set her off, but it would happen eventually, no matter how hard they tried to prevent it.

T

_It was dark. Only a bit of light poured in from my view. Something pulled me back to before though, back to the trees and the sky._

_It was peaceful, the wind blowing around me, my hair fluttering in the wind. It was like something out of a book, something surreal. Just so peaceful. It was like I was living Darry's words._

_In all honesty, it was beautiful. The sky, the sun, the trees, the grass, the open fields of land. There was no one there to bother me. I didn't even want to wake up. I wanted to thrive in this peace forever, never live my struggles again. I just wanted to give into this peaceful sleep._

"_Darry…"_

T

As mid day to evening came around, the boys were left on edge, especially when Two-Bit picked Eden up from her friend's house and brought her back. Unfortunately, Darry had been the one to explain things about her sister, watching her breakdown and run up to his room.

She had thrown the door open, standing there, staring at her sister.

Abigail just laid there on the bed as Eden watched, tears falling down the young girl's face.

"Eden?" Darry called, walking up behind her.

She didn't say anything as she threw her arms around Darry's middle, catching him off guard. It was obvious how much it bothered her seeing her sister in the condition that she was in. It was also the first time that she'd shown such trust in Darry, hugging him like she was.

"It'll be alright kiddo," he assured her, placing his arms around her and comforting her. "She'll be okay."

She just shook her head though, not wanting to believe what she saw. She saw how Abigail was all beat up, her left eye practically black and blue along with various other bruises decorating her skin. In short, she was a mess in Eden's eyes, something that wasn't normal for her to see. Then again, Abigail was normally cleaned up before hand if something happened, so Eden never really saw her in such a state.

"How do you know?" Eden asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Darry just pulled back from her a bit, leaning down slightly so that he was more at eye level with her.

"Listen kiddo," he sighed. "I'll admit, I haven't been with her that long so I probably don't know her like you do, and I'm sure she's been with plenty of other guys far longer than she had been with me."

"But?"

"But if there's one thing that I know about your sister, then it's that she doesn't give up. Your sister ain't no quitter Eden," Darry told her. "She's not a quitter. Things may get tuff and she may need help, yes, but she's not a quitter."

"You think that you know everything, but don't," Eden said quietly, catching Darry's attention.

"I never said that I knew everything," he defended.

"She's never really been with anyone," she said.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Darry asked curiously.

"You said she's been with plenty of guys, but she hasn't. She's never had time for it…" she told him.

"I'm sure that's not entirely true," Darry tried.

"She was always watching me, going to work, coming home. That's all she ever did," she said, looking elsewhere. "She doesn't think I've noticed, but I have. She doesn't sleep well. She'd come into my room during the night to check on me and I'd have to pretend that I was asleep…"

"So, you've known for a long time then?" Darry concluded.

"Why wouldn't I? I'm not that stupid."

"I never said you were stupid kiddo," Darry pressed.

"Well, then you'd be a first," she muttered, walking out of the room a moment later.

**Okay everyone, there's chapter 18. I hope that everyone liked it? The next chapter should be longer than this one. Anyway, please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE with your thoughts, ideas, opinions and feelings on this chapter/story. I always love hearing from people. It makes me smile and keeps me writing. Thanks everyone! :)**


	19. Ch 19: Nothing Lasts Forever

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 19**

**Nothing Lasts Forever**

When Monday came around, Abigail went back to work. Despite her current problems, she wouldn't let them hold her up. Although as the week went by, Joe was still none the wiser on what had happened.

Each day before she would go out, she'd put makeup on, covering up the bruises on her face so that no one could see them. Darry had even gone out and bought her a couple long sleeved button up shirts for her to wear at work, that way her arms would be covered up and out of view. She'd been particularly grateful for that, biting back her hesitation and hugging him.

As the week went on though, things didn't really get much better for Abigail. Everyday she'd end up flinching at loud noises and biting her tongue around customers. The bell hanging from the door made her jump every time that she heard the thing. For the first time ever, she was starting to loathe her job because it was turning her into a nervous wreck.

T

I couldn't help, but to wonder what the day would bring. Each day, I'd just stand around at work, serving people and taking orders. So far, I'd had yet to relapse, but I knew that it wouldn't last forever. Nothing lasts forever…

"Orders up," Joe called from the kitchen, tapping the small little bell that in turn made me jump.

I'd never understand why such a small thing made me jump so much. Every time the bell at the door would ring, I'd just about jump out of my skin.

"Abigail," Joe called again, dinging the bell a few more times.

"S-sorry!" I stammered, quickly grabbing a tray and the food.

Once in my hands, I scurried right back over to the customers, placing their food down in front of them.

"E-enjoy," I said quickly, walking away and back behind the counter.

Lord, I couldn't wait til I was done tonight. Darry or Two-Bit would pick me up tonight and take me back home, then I wouldn't have to worry about anything more until tomorrow.

"Abigail," Joe called, making me jump slightly.

"Y-yes, sir?" I nearly choked out.

"Is something goin' on at home again?" he asked, laying his folded arms on the opening between us, leaning against it as he looked at me.

"N-no, nothing is going on," I assured him.

"Are you sure? You seem kind of out of it," he concluded.

"Like I said, it's nothing Joe, I swear. I just…have a headache, that's all," I lied, hoping that I could convince him.

"Hm… if you say so, but go into the bathroom and clean up a bit, you have some dirt on your face," he said.

_Dirt on my face?_

My eyes widened slightly, before I ran off to the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I nearly gasped when I saw my reflection in the mirror. A couple of the bruises were starting to show through the makeup. I just thanked God that it was subtle enough to pass off as dirt in Joe's mind, allowing me to pull the small compact from my back pocket and cover it back up.

I couldn't allow Joe to know the truth. If he were to see that, then he might just think that Darry had done it since I was so adamant in keeping the spots covered up. Even if he didn't though, I still didn't want anyone seeing me the way that I was. It was already bad enough that I had to look at myself everyday and see the same thing each time. I didn't need anyone else to see exactly the same thing. Things such as that were frowned upon. Heck, with the way that people were at times, some wouldn't even believe me even if I were to tell the truth. So, for now I was better off just staying quiet and dealing with it instead of causing trouble. At least that's what I thought anyway.

Once I was satisfied with the fixes in my reflection, I placed the small compact back in my pocket. I then fixed the collar of my shirt, making sure to keep the small bruise on the side of my neck covered, before walking back out.

"There, better?" I asked, walking back out in front of the small kitchen window.

"Missed a spot," he said, making me freeze in my spot. "Just kidding," he chuckled, making me go slightly red.

"Joe!" I exclaimed, turning around and walking over to one of the now empty tables.

"Oh, come on, I was just pulling your leg," he laughed, before going back to work.

That left me cleaning off the tables and replacing empty condiment containers, the same with topping off the salt and pepper shakers.

T

"Hey, what do ya say we stop by the diner and give Abby a little visit?" Two-Bit suggested.

"Sure, why not," Ponyboy said with a shrug. "Let's go get Steve and Soda first though, that way we can all grab somethin' ta eat," he proposed.

"Kid, you read my mind," Two-Bit laughed.

T

"Abigail, why don't you sit down and take a break for a bit darlin'?" Joe suggested, poking his head out the little window.

I sighed slightly, but nodded my head nonetheless, before going and sitting down at one of the booths. There were still a few dishes sitting there, but I didn't really care. To my surprise, Joe came out a few minutes later, coming out with a plate of food and a small sundae for me.

"Joe," I sighed, a small smile on my face.

"Hey, I gotta take care of my girl," he said, ruffling my hair affectionately once he sat the food down in front of me.

"Thanks," I whispered, watching as he walked away and back into the kitchen to continue his cooking.

T

"Hey there Sodapop," Ponyboy said as he walked up to the DX with Two-Bit.

"Hey Ponyboy, what are you guys doin' here?" Soda asked, wiping his hands off on a rag.

"We just figured we'd drag you and big nose over there down to Abby's diner with us," Two-Bit grinned, biting back his laughter as Steve glared at him for calling him big nose.

"What do ya Steve, feel like grabbin' a bite to eat?" Soda asked.

"Sure, why not," Steve shrugged, wiping his hands off on his pants, before running a hand through his already greasy hair.

"Maybe is we're lucky, we'll get free food," Two-Bit cracked, before turning on his heel and walking off toward the diner.

"You just don't wanna pay," Ponyboy snorted, shoving his hands into his pants pockets as he stood there waiting for his brother to wrap things up.

T

Honestly, I didn't really feel like eating, but I didn't want to disappoint Joe. So, I decided to pace myself instead, eating little by little as I tried to bide my time til the end of the night.

I thought about what I was going to do with everything that had happened as I looked down at my sandwich, slowly chewing at the bite in my mouth. I just wasn't sure what to do with myself really. I mean, at this point, the whole gang knew about the incident. I was also pretty sure that Shepard and his gang probably knew about everything at this point too knowing Two-Bit. Unfortunately, I knew that something like that wouldn't just stay between our little gang.

"Nothing lasts forever," I whispered, before shoving a few mouthfuls of the ice cream concoction into my mouth.

It wasn't long though before the bell rang against the door again, causing me to flinch at the sound as I looked up, quickly catching sight of the guys.

"Well, hey there baby," Two-Bit grinned, coming over and throwing his arm around my shoulders, easily pulling my head into his chest as he ruffled my hair in a playful manner.

"Hey Two-Bit," I mumbled lightly. "So, what are you guys doing here anyway?" I asked, my eyes running over everyone.

Save for Johnny, Dally, and Darry, everyone in the gang was there. I couldn't help, but to notice though as Steve rolled his shoulders, painfully so to be honest.

"We came here for a bite to eat, that, and to see your pretty face," Two-Bit grinned.

I just ignored his attempt at flattery, my eyes still on Steve.

"You pull a muscle or somethin'?" I asked, nodding in his direction.

"Been liftin' too much," he told me, trying his best to work it out. "That, and I hit my head against the hood of one of the cars."

"And how'd you do that one?" I asked, giving him a skeptical look.

"I snuck up on him," Soda laughed, a cheesy grin on his face.

"I'll get you back eventually," Steve promised, shaking a fist at him halfheartedly.

"Why don't you guys sit down and I'll get you set up," I said, standing up from my seat. "I'm done eating anyway," I told them, looking down at my plate of half eaten food.

"You sure?" Ponyboy asked, noticing my lack of an empty plate.

"Yeah, I'm sure. In fact, here," I said, pushing the plate into Two-Bit's hands.

"Sweet," he grinned, before quickly finishing it off.

I just shook my head as I walked over toward the kitchen, giving a small tap on the counter window.

"Four burgers," I said, before grabbing a tray and filling up glasses.

"Four burgers coming up," he announced, a grin on his face.

I just shook my head slightly, before walking back over to the guys, the four glass balanced on the tray in one hand.

"Here ya go guys and sorry Two-Bit, but I don't serve beer," I said flatly, earning a grin in return.

"That's alright baby, I don' mind," he chuckled. "Why don't ya sit down and join us?" he asked.

I just shook my head though, my hair moving side to side slightly with the movement.

"Can't, already took my break," I told him, going back over to my original table and taking another bite of my sundae.

I then went and grabbed a damp rag, bringing it back over and placing it on the table.

"Order up!" Joe called, placing the plates on the little counter in front of the window.

"Well, I hope you guys are hungry, cuz here's the food," I said, coming back over and placing everything down on the table in front of them.

"Thanks Abby," they all chimed, causing the corner of my lips to pull a bit.

After that, I left them to their meal, going back to cleaning up.

T

Halfway through their meal, the bell on the door rang, a few customers piling in.

"I'll be with you in a moment," I said, my back to them as I piled a few plates and glasses on the tray.

When I turned around though, I could have sworn that my heart stopped, the tray slipping from my hands and falling to the floor with a crash. All of the plates and glasses shattered, pieces flying and scattering across the floor.

"Abby?" Two-Bit called, turning around in his seat and glancing over at me.

I didn't respond though, I just stayed where I was, eyes wide and hands shaking. I could feel my eyes water as I stared at the man before me, a smirk slowly forming on his face.

"Well, if it isn't the little piece of Greaser trash," he seethed.

I still couldn't say a word as I stood there, my entire body frozen. I could feel a few tears fall as images rushed through my mind. Scenes from the incident running rampant through my head in little bits. I could hear my name being called, but I still couldn't speak. Although, I finally managed to take a step back, but Dan took a couple steps closer. A moment later, he had hold of my wrist, pulling me closer.

As I took a closer look, I noticed the black eye that he had, along with a couple missing teeth. Dally had really done a number on him, but not nearly enough.

"Maybe we should finish what we started," he whispered in my ear.

I swear, I couldn't breathe, and my lungs felt like they were on fire. I was almost afraid that I would fall where I stood as I screamed in my head, merely wishing to be somewhere else. Then, almost as if answering one of my prayers, Steve stepped forward.

"Get your hands off of her!" he growled, knocking Dan away from me and standing in front of me.

A moment later, Two-Bit was jumping out of his seat and over the booth, coming to stand in front of me as well. Pony and Soda were soon to follow, coming beside me and gently taking hold of my arms as I fell to my knees.

"I had no idea that you had so many friends Winters," Dan said as the smirk on his face grew even bigger. "Or are all of these your little bed buddies?" he laughed spitefully.

Boy oh boy, did that set a few people off.

"Son of a…" Two-Bit started, his hand balling up at his side.

"You guys are sick," Soda said with distaste, carefully pulling me back up to stand with him and Ponyboy.

"H-have Joe c-call the cops," I choked out as quiet as possible.

Soda nodded his head and gestured for his brother to do just that.

"Pony," Soda said, motioning with his head toward the kitchen.

"Yeah, I get it," he nodded, slowly and carefully making his way back toward the kitchen.

T

"Joe?" Ponyboy called, sneaking into the kitchen quietly.

"Technically, you're not supposed to be back here kid," Joe said, keeping a close eye on the happenings outside of the kitchen.

"Abby said to call the cops," Ponyboy told him, glancing back out at the scene in the diner.

Joe nodded in regards to Ponyboy's request, quickly going over to the phone in the ball and dialing 9-1-1.

Personally, Ponyboy was glad to be back in the kitchen away from everything, but he also felt sorry for Abigail. It was obvious how scared she was and unfortunately, he was sure he knew why. When those guys had stepped into the diner, Abigail had completely lost all sense of feeling, her tray falling to the floor. The sound had nearly sent the poor boy jumping out of his skin as the plates shattered against the tiled floor. Not to mention, the head guy looked like he'd been beat up a few days prior to stepping into the diner, a few teeth missing as well.

"_He said he knocked the guy's teeth in."_

Ponyboy put the pieces together and found himself standing there, body numb from the realization that he was staring at the very man that tried to destroy the young woman whom his eldest brother was in love with.

_They hurt her._

_Scared her something afoul._

_Stabbed her._

_Carved the word 'trash' into her stomach._

_They started the fire._

Ponyboy could feel his hand shake as he stood there, the realization hitting him in the face like a ton of bricks. The guy that had grabbed her had been the very same one who had hurt her, the one that had started the fire that had nearly killed Eden, the reason why they were left without a home save for living with him and his brothers. If Ponyboy had a fiery temper like some of his fellow Greasers, then he'd be leaping forward that very instant with his fist in the man's face.

"He did it," Ponyboy said quietly.

"What are you talking about kid?" Joe asked as he hung up the phone.

"He started the fire," Ponyboy said aloud.

"Wha…" Joe's eyes widened as he stood there, his feet slowly bringing him back over to the little kitchen window.

He could see Abigail standing there, her body leaned up against the young man that was Sodapop Curtis, his arms holding her in place. The young girl that he'd known for so long was standing there, hands shaking and eyes wet and fearful. She was scared and vulnerable and he'd had no clue to what was wrong until now. Although, his gut told him that there was still more to it than that.

T

Soda held me there against him as everyone stared each other down, our gang against theirs. It was nerve raking to be honest or at least for me it was anyway. I'd say that the guys were more pissed off than anything else to be honest. I also knew that Two-Bit and Steve were just itching for a fight. I mean, they'd sure try their best to knock them out of the park, but still. I was still surprised though that Dan and his lackeys were still standing there. With any luck, the cops would get here before they left, even if it meant that Soda and the rest had to keep them from leaving.

"You know, I'm starting to think that you're not even fit to be raising that sister of yours at this point," Dan started, making me flinch at his words.

"Just shut up," I choked out, my right hand curling around the back of Soda's dirty DX shirt.

There was a smug look on Dan's face as he looked over at me, trying his best to intimidate me.

"Or perhaps, someone should just find your dad and have him take care of her?" Dan suggested.

I felt my eyes widen and my blood run cold when he said this, anger welling up inside of me at the same time.

"Shut up!" I screamed, lunging forward, only to be held back by Soda and Two-Bit. "You have no right!" I cried, glaring daggers at Dan.

He just continued to smirk though, satisfied that he'd managed to get under my skin like that.

"I mean really, your dad would be the only taker, especially since everyone knows that your mom is dead," he laughed.

"Shut up!" I screamed once more, tears slipping from my eyes as I struggled against Soda and Two-Bit.

I didn't want Eden anywhere near my father or vice versa. Heck, I didn't even want to be anywhere near him and I sure as hell didn't want him taking care of her. The mere fact that this guy was even bringing it up set me on edge, my temper flaring immensely.

"Abigail, you need to calm down," Soda whispered, making sure to keep a good grip on me, same with Two-Bit.

"He has no right!" I cried, struggling even more. "You've no right!"

It was then that we heard a couple cars pulling up, officers stepping out and heading toward the diner.

"Oh crap, Dan!" one of his friends said, before hightailing it out of the diner, only to be grabbed by one of the cops.

After that, it was Dan's turn to try and escape as he tried to get passed Steve in order to get to the kitchen. Before he could do that though, Steve grabbed him and tackled him to the floor, wrestling him to the ground. His other two friends just stood there, afraid to run.

"You're not goin' anywhere buddy," Steve told him, putting him in a headlock as the cops walked into the diner.

"Break it up," the cop said, raising his baton as he stood ready to strike.

"Steve, let him go," Soda said.

Steve gave him a look, but let go nonetheless, only to have Dan try and run out the door. Steve was quick to grab him though, throwing him back into the diner, only to get hit in the stomach with a baton as a result.

"Steve!" Soda exclaimed, watching his friend fall to his knees, arms folded over his stomach in pain.

"Please Sir, this young man isn't the reason why you were called here," I said, carefully pulling away from Soda to stand by Steve. "_He_ is the reason that you were called," I said, pointing over at Dan whom sat on the floor by the bar.

"And what exactly has been done here?" the officer asked.

I just looked away for a moment when he asked this, closing my eyes and biting down hard on my lower lip.

"Why don't we try assault, battery, and attempted rape for starters," Two-bit said in a dead even voice.

I flinched when he said that, trying not to think of what happened.

"And do you have any proof of these allegations?" the man asked.

Lord, how I didn't want to say it. I hadn't meant for Joe to find out so soon, especially at the diner of all places.

"Well?"

It was silent for a few moments as everyone stared at me, my hand shaking terribly.

"Y-yes," I croaked.

"Well then?" the two officers looked at me expectantly.

I bit down on my lip even harder, the coppery taste of blood entering my mouth, before I walked over to the table that I had been cleaning. The officers gave me a curious look as I stood there, but that soon faded as I placed the damp rag to my face, removing the makeup that I had used to cover up the bruises on my face. After that, I slowly began to unbutton my blouse, each button taking about three seconds.

"Abigail," I heard Soda whisper.

I kept my eyes closed though as I turned around, throwing my blouse down in the booth. I then pulled my undershirt up away from my stomach, allowing them to see the marks left behind.

"Is this enough p-proof for you?" I asked, trying my hardest not to cry.

I could hear Dan stifle a laugh as he sat there, only making it worse for him.

"Shut your mouth," Two-Bit glared, taking his jacket and placing it on my shoulders, allowing me to pull it around myself. "It'll be alright darlin'," he assured me, giving my uninjured shoulder a light squeeze.

**As promised, I made sure that this chapter was longer. I hope that everyone enjoyed reading it? Please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, ideas, opinions, and feelings on this chapter/story. I love hearing from everyone and it keeps me happy and writing. I also want to thank everyone for the current reviews that I've received. They've made me very happy! Anyway, thanks for reading. ALSO, the next CHAPTER might be up within the next HOUR or two, so keep an eye out everyone! :)**


	20. Ch 20: Feeling Small

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 20**

**Feeling Small**

It didn't take much after evidence was shown before Dan was hauled up onto his feet, handcuffs shackling his hands behind his back roughly. Unfortunately, Abigail was still asked down to the station for further questioning of her story and written statement, another reason why Darry was called down to the station as well along with everyone else.

T

"Abigail?" Darry called, walking into the station as he pushed the door open, his eyes shifting around the place.

In response, I turned my head, a faint smile on my face when I saw him.

"Darry…" I whispered, slowly standing up, only to be encompassed by his arms a moment later as he rushed over to me.

"Are you alright?" he asked, pulling back a bit and looking me over to make sure that I hadn't been hurt in any way.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I assured him, taking his hands in mine.

"Are you sure, you're not hurt?" he asked, leaning down slightly so that he was more at my level.

"Darrel, I'm fine," I told him, leaning forward and kissing his cheek.

This seemed to settle him enough to where he believed me, nodding his head reluctantly as he sat down with me on the bench, allowing me to lay my tired head on his shoulder. I could only imagine how bent up he was when he got the call, especially, finding out that his brothers were down here as well. The last thing Darry wanted was to have his kid brothers down in a police station of all places.

I had been adamant that I wouldn't be saying much until he arrived and now that he was here, there was nothing stopping them from getting answers. The only thing that I had to do was try my hardest to keep my composure and not break down into tears.

T

"So, you're telling me that Dan Allester jumped you, along with the other three men that we brought in?" the officer inquired, folding his hands together on his desk.

"Yes Sir," I nodded, feeling Darry give my hand a light squeeze.

"And you're sure that it was him, not someone else?" the man asked.

"Yes Sir," I repeating, speaking a bit more firmly this time.

"What about eyewitnesses?" he inquired making a slight hand gesture.

This made me sigh and bite my lip in irritation. It was like he was trying to knock me right back down, trying to play it off as someone else. No one else, but Dan and his little buddies attacked me. I know what I saw, I know what I felt, and there was no changing that.

"Well, the only eyewitness that I can think of is one Dallas Winston, whom you guys happened to throw in the slammer," I told him, doing my best to bite my tongue as I thought back on it.

"You mean that piece of trash that's always causin' trouble?" he asked skeptically, a joking tone in his voice as though he didn't believe me at all.

I had to count to five in my head and close my eyes. I never was good with sitting back when someone bad mouthed someone else, especially when they were one of my friends. Granted, I wasn't always the nicest person to Dally before this happened, but he wasn't all that bad. Deep down, he was a good guy, but they didn't know or care.

"That _piece of trash_ as you call him, is the one that saved me from being raped," I told him, my voice raising a bit.

That caught me a few looks. At the same time, I could feel Darry's hand curling around mine more firmly, telling me to calm down and that things would be okay. Even with that though, it still made me mad, the fact that they were calling Dallas Winston trash. The very guy that might have very well saved my life along with the last bit of my sanity.

"I'd say that he'd be more likely to do it than those boys we hauled in," his partner commented.

That was it, that was the thing that set me over off of the edge because a moment later, I shot out of my seat and my hands slammed against the desk. At the same time, Two-Bit's jacket nearly fell from my shoulders, and everyone in the station had their eyes trained on me.

"Now you listen here, Dallas Winston is many things, but abusing a woman in any way is not one of them!" I yelled, tears in my eyes as I did this.

Never and I mean never, would Dally raise his hand at a woman, no matter how mad he got. He never even got drunk enough to do such a thing either. True, he may be rude and disrespectful at times or make snide comments, but a violation like that was not one of them. It just set my temper flying when they accused him of even possibly doing such a thing.

"She's right," Darry said, standing up and pulling me back a bit. "Dally would never attempt such a thing. After all, he has morals, even if all of them aren't exactly pin straight," Darry defended.

The officers still looked skeptical as we stood there, debating what to do next.

"I'll swear it in front of a judge if I have to," I added, determined to defend Dally. "Besides, who's to say that Dallas Winston even threw the first punch? For all you know, Dan could have started it when he went to straighten things out," I pointed out, even though I knew that Dally was the one that went after Dan full throttle.

Both men gave me a hard look though, but didn't really say much about it. That's what I hated, men that didn't want to hear what a woman had to say.

"If he's good, he'll be out in a month," the man said, scratching at the back of his head for a moment.

To be honest, he looked like he didn't even want to be here and he looked rather young, around my age.

"Mike, would you sit down and stop fidgeting," his partner scolded, after pointing to a chair and telling him to sit down.

The young man obeyed and sat down, fiddling with the thin gold band on his finger, a wedding band no doubt. He likely had someone waiting for him at home and that was likely the reason for his fidgeting.

"Look, can we wrap this up, I'd really like to get home," I said, seeing Darry nod in agreement.

"Yes, my brothers need to be getting home," Darry said, looking over at the other side of the station where Soda was seated beside Ponyboy.

"Not until we get this straightened out," the head officer said.

"What's there to straighten out, I told you everything," I exclaimed.

"And yet, I still have yet to understand why he would go after someone like you," he said, a certain something edging on his voice.

"If you really want to know, the man was drunk, or do I have to repeat it for the fourth time tonight?" I asked, trying to keep my cool.

At that, Darry pulled me back onto the bench before the officer could say something, earning Darry a nod in return. I nearly rolled my eyes at that, but held back.

"Those boys have too much pride and when I went and turned their buddy Paul Holden down, they didn't take it too well," I said, remembering one of the first encounters after it had happened. "Why else do you think that they carved trash into my stomach?" I asked cynically.

"I can probably think of a few reasons," he mumbled, but I still heard it, same as Darry.

"Excuse me?" Darry said, catching the man's attention quickly.

If it weren't a police officer, I can guarantee you that Darry would have had a heck of a lot more to say.

"Darry, it's not worth it," I said quietly, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Oh, nothing," the man assured him, but his partner Mike didn't seem to agree with his words and stood up.

"Perhaps you all should go home?" Mike suggested, giving his partner a disapproving look that earned him a glare in return. "I'll get back with you within the week," he said, not wanting to sit around any longer and listen to his partner down a woman.

"Thank you," Darry said, standing up and pulling me with him. "Time to go guys," he called, walking toward the front.

"Well boys, it's been swell, but gotta go," I heard Two-Bit laugh. "Come on you two," he said to Soda and Ponyboy, Steve easily following us out.

Once we were outside, everyone piled into Darry's truck. Soda, Steve, and Two-Bit where in the back, while Ponyboy and me sat up front with Darry.

T

The ride home was pretty much quiet, save for the banter between the three boys in the back.

"So, now what?" Steve asked as he stood by the door, his right foot pressed against the frame.

"You, sit down," I said, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and pulling him to the couch.

Both Soda and Two-Bit laughed, watching their friend being pulled around.

"What are you doing?" he asked, trying to get back up, but I pushed him back down.

"Just shut up before I change my mind," I said quietly, gently moving my hand under the top of his shirt at the neck.

"Aw, what, you givin' him the special too now?" Two-Bit whined, referring to the massage that I was getting ready to do.

"Oh hush," I breathed, pressing against the muscles in Steve's shoulders.

Steve grunted for a moment, but that was about it, leaning back a bit into my hands.

"Yep, the special treatment," Two-Bit chuckled, earning a slightly annoyed look from Steve.

"Just leave him alone Two-Bit," I sighed, trying my best to work out the knot current in the lower side of Steve's neck.

He groaned a moment later when I pressed in a certain spot, letting me know I got where I needed to. From there, I kept putting pressure on his neck with the bottom of my palm, kneading at it in circles. After a few more minutes, it was obvious that he was enjoying it, looking as though he'd fall asleep.

"I don't know about you guys, but I call dibs when Steve is done," Soda grinned, earning a small chuckle and shake of the head from Darry.

"Hey, no fair, she's mine," Two-Bit protested.

"I'm no one's property," I said, rolling my eyes for a moment.

He knew that fact just as well as the rest of the gang. Darry was the only exception and even then I didn't actually _belong_ to him per say. It's just like I told Paul countless time, I belong to no one. I'm my own person and that's how it's going to stay.

"Yeah, but you're still my girl," he grinned, making me raise an eyebrow as he howled with laughter a moment later.

"You're somethin' else, you know that?" I asked, even though it was more of a statement than an actual question.

"Really? You really think so?" he asked, a look of happiness on his face.

That was it, I couldn't help, but to let out a small laugh.

"There we go, it's what I've been waiting for all day long," he grinned.

"Oh, come off it Two-Bit," I said, getting slightly embarrassed.

I then looked down at Steve, finding him half way asleep already, his head lain back against the couch with his eyes closed.

"Man, you put him right to sleep," Soda chuckled, pulling his shirt off at the same time. "Now, it's my turn he grinned, making me look over at Darry.

Darry merely chuckled and walked into the kitchen, leaving me standing there with Soda staring at me expectantly.

"Fine," I sighed, shaking my head slightly as I walked over to him, sitting down beside him as he turned his back to me.

He merely grinned, pulling his legs up onto the couch so that he could rest his arms and head on his knees as he leaned forward.

"I swear, you guys are somethin'," I muttered, shaking my head.

"Yeah, but ya still love us," Soda chuckled.

"Don't push your luck kid," I said, giving him a small smile.

"Aw, come on Abby," he whined playful.

"Hey Soda, shouldn't you and Pony be gettin' to bed," Darry asked casually as he walked back into the room.

Soda's face fell upon hearing.

"But Darry," he whined.

"Hey, you got work in the mornin' and Pony's got school," Darry pointed out. "That means you too Two-Bit," he announced.

"Yeah, I'll be goin' then. See ya guys later," he chuckled, jacket over his shoulder as he walked out.

"Hey," Darry called, nudging Steve's foot with his own.

The boy groaned, cracking his eyes open for a moment.

"Go home kid and get some rest," Darry told him.

T

Within 15 minutes, everyone was where they should be, leaving me and Darry to ourselves.

"So…" Darry started, pealing his shirt from his torso.

I looked up at him as I sat there on the bed, one of his old shirts covering my front, along with a pair of shorts.

"What exactly happened earlier?" he asked carefully, tossing his soiled shirt into the wastebasket.

I sat there silently, merely playing with the bottom of the shirt that I was wearing.

"Abigail?" Darry sat down next to me, carefully placing a hand on my arm.

I flinched slightly as he did this, pinching my eyes closed.

"What happened?" he asked slowly. "Abigail?"

"Joe found out," I whispered. "He…he saw everything. The mark…my stomach," I choked out, leaning forward as a pulled at my hair.

I felt his arms wrap around me, pulling me into his chest as I cried. I hated crying in front of him and yet here I was doing it again. It just didn't seem to want to stop. I felt so small.

"He came in and I…I just froze," I cried. "The tray fell from my hands…everything broke…I…"

"Shh…it's alright," he whispered, holding me close as he rubbed my back. "It's over now," he said.

**YAY! Finally, chapter 20 is out. I really do hope that everyone liked it? The only reason that I was able to finish writing this chapter finally is because of a dream that I had the other night. XD Anyway, please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, feelings, and opinions on this story. Thanks everyone!**


	21. Ch 21: To Lighten The Mood

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 21**

**To Lighten the Mood**

Just as promised, Mike got back with us within the week, even going so far as to come over to the house to talk with us while the others were out at work and school. It was slightly unnerving having a cop around though, but perhaps that was just due to how our lives were, Darry with the boys and me with Eden. Neither of us really wanted the cops around the house, but at least Mike was far more respectable than his pig headed partner.

"Would you like something to drink?" I offered, gesturing toward the kitchen.

"No thank you Miss," Mike politely declined, leaving me to give him a small nod.

I then went and turned the radio off as _Shake, Rattle, and Roll_ turned on, before going back over and standing by Darry.

"I'd like to apologize for Jim," Mike said. "He can be a bit…unpleasant at times."

"Sounds like you're puttin' it nicely," Darry commented.

"I real am sorry," Mike said, bowing his head.

"It's not your fault," I told him, feeling Darry place his arm around me.

"If you don't mind me asking, how long have you two been sharing the same house?" he asked.

"Since the fire," I told him before Darry could answer.

"So you're the one who's house caught fire last month then?" he assumed.

"Yes, except it didn't catch fire, it was set on fire," I grumbled slightly.

"I'm sorry that we haven't found the culprits yet," he said.

"Technically, you have," I told him, earning a curious look in return.

"I don't understand," he said.

"When Dan…" I paused for a moment. "Did what he did, he admitted to starting the fire," I explained.

"I see," he mumbled, sitting there for a moment as if thinking things over. "Unfortunately though, we'd need more evidence than just that to convict him," he expressed.

Unfortunately, I expected as much. They needed more than just my word in order to do anything, they needed cold hard evidence. I was only lucky that he wasn't able to get away with assaulting me. Although, how much time he would get for it was still to be addressed.

T

I was relieved when everything was over, leaving me alone with Darry. We'd given the man as much information as possible, along with the location that everything happened. Now, we had to sit back and wait for things to be done. I was happy though when he told me he'd put in a good word for Dally, hoping that perhaps it would get him out sooner, but we'd have to see.

"Hey Darry?" I was seated on the couch as I called him, my eyes set on nothing in particular.

"Yeah?" he turned his head toward me, his eyes trained on me from his spot in the kitchen.

"When do you think Dally will get out?" I asked quietly, bringing my knees up to my chest as I sat there.

I knew that it had caught his attention just by the look on his face because he stopped what he was doing, his jaw clenching for a moment before answering.

"Honestly, I don't know," he sighed, slowly walking into the living room a bit. "He's in for about 90 days for assaulting that guy," he told me, only standing, but a few feet away from me. "He'll be fine," he assured me, before going over to the radio and turning it back on.

As the current song came to an end, another one started. I just sat there watching out of the corner of my eyes as a grin crept up onto Darry's face.

"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as he slowly made his way over to me, his steps staying in tune with the beat.

Elvis Presley's Paralyzed was playing and he was lip syncing with the words, making my face go slightly red.

This was his attempt at getting me into a better mood as he kept up with it, grabbing my hands and pulling me toward him.

"D-Darry," I stammered, trying my best not to blush even further.

He didn't say a word though as he grinned, taking me with him as he moved around the room. He got up in my face though slightly when the words mentioned a kiss, pulling me up against him. This was definitely a new side to him that I wasn't used to.

T

To my surprise, Darry managed to take my mind off of everything, leaving me with a smile on my face as we danced outside with the radio. You'd never know just by looking at him that he was a good dancer, but he was, better than me in fact.

"Where in the world did you learn to dance?" I ventured.

"My mother," he told me, a small smile on his face as he twirled me around.

I laughed as he did this, feeling him pull me back against him.

"She did a pretty good job then," I grinned.

"Yeah, well she felt it might help me get a girl," he chuckled. "But it looks like I already have one."

"Very true," I nodded, leaning up and pecking him on the lips, before pulling away.

"Oh no you don't," he exclaimed, grabbing me and pulling me back to him.

All I could do was laugh as he did this, holding me close to him as he tried to get me to dance some more.

"Well, if this isn't a sight for sore eyes, then I don't know what is," I heard Two-Bit call out with a laugh making my face go red.

"T-Two-Bit!" I choked out, my face heating up a bit more.

The guy just grinned at me as he walked over, Ponyboy and Johnny following after him.

"Hand her over Dar, it's my turn," Two-Bit grinned, before howling with laughter.

Before I knew it, I was in Two-Bit's arms being swung around all over the place to the beat of one of Two-Bit's favorite songs, Shake, Rattle and Roll. He loved that song and the beat was just perfect for him, fitting him to a T. The song was about as crazy and wild as he was. I swear though, the kid made me dizzier than anything, twirling me around everywhere. With the way that he danced, he tried his darnedest to be as fast as the beat.

After that, Down in the Alley started to play, giving me a little bit of a break.

I sighed, sitting down on the ground next to one of the car, my breath heaving a bit.

"Man Two-Bit, I think you wore her out," Pony chuckled, coming over and sitting down beside me.

"Yeah," Johnny piped up, standing there with his hands shoved into his pockets, his foot kicking the ground slightly.

I gave a small sigh, raising an eyebrow for a moment, before I motioned Johnny over. Once he was close enough, I grabbed him my his jean jacket and tugged him down next to me and Ponyboy. His face went a bit red in response, but I just ignored it, a small smile on my face. The kid had to learn to loosen up a bit.

"So, where's Eden?" I asked.

"We dropped her off a couple hours again over at her friend's house. Some sort of project or somethin'," he added with a shrug, leaning his head back against the car.

"That means someone will have to pick her up after a while," I said, glancing between the boys beside me.

"Aren't you off today?" Ponyboy asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

I tried my best to bite back a grin, but I didn't do very good at it.

"You are!" he exclaimed, his mouth hanging open.

We all laughed at this, even Darry.

"You'd make us go and pick her up even though you're off?" Ponyboy couldn't believe it.

"Sorry kid, but I'm just too lazy," I laughed. "Now, who's hungry?"

That seemed to make everyone smile and raise their hands.

"Good cuz you're helping," I said, getting up and grabbing Darry by his shirt. "You're helping me with burgers."

"Fine," he chuckled, following along side me.

Once we got inside though, he wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight.

"Now, how can I do anything like this?" I asked, a smile playing on my lips.

"Man, I really did put you in a good mood, didn't I?" he grinned, laying his head on my shoulder as he stood behind me.

"I guess you did."

It was true, he had put me in a better mood than what I was in earlier and I was thankful for that, I really was.

"So, can we start on the burgers now?" I asked, turning my head to the side to look up at him.

"Nah, they can wait for a few more minutes."

"Darry!" I groaned.

He could act so juvenile at times that it amazed me. He'd rather spend more time with his arms around me than fixing food for himself and everyone else.

"Can't this wait until after we fix dinner?" I asked, wanting to get the food out of the way first.

"Do we have too?"

"Yes."

"Fine…"

T

Half a hour later, everything was done and on the table, the guys all sitting around with food on their plates.

"Now, I suggest you all start eating before it gets cold," I announced, taking a seat next to Darry at the table.

He was even kind enough to pull my chair out for me before taking a seat himself.

"Hey Darry?" Ponyboy spoke up.

"Yeah kid?" Darry looked up before taking a quick bite of his burger.

"I've been thinkin', maybe we could repaint the room upstairs?" he asked, trying not to look too hopeful.

"And what color would we be painting it?" Darry inquired before taking another bite.

"I don't know," Ponyboy shrugged. "Any thing, but that nasty gray we have in there though."

"So you wouldn't mind if we all pitched in and painted pink then?" Two-Bit chuckled, slapping his knee as he howled with laughter.

I had to admit though, Ponyboy set himself up for that one.

"I would mind," he grumble faintly, his face slightly red at the thought of a pink room.

"I'm sure that we could find you a nice blue or tan maybe," I piped up, glancing over a Darry for a moment who nodded in unison.

"She's right, it shouldn't be too much trouble," Darry agreed.

"In fact, I'd say that Joe probably still has some extra paint laying around," I pointed out.

"Really?" Ponyboy asked.

"Mmhm. He bought a bit too much when we repainted and never really got around to doing anything with the extra. I'm sure he won't mind," I said, a small smile on my face as I glanced over at the youngest of the Curtis family.

The kid's eyes seemed to light up at my words, a grin soon becoming plastered on his face.

"I can't wait!"

**Finally, chapter 21! I wanted it to be a bit longer, but I had to end it there. The next one should be up soon. Especially since I have nothing else to do at the moment until my acceptance letter comes in the mail. I'm transferring to another college, so I'm stuck doing nothing until my letter comes. Anyway, please, let me know what you think about this chapter/story? Ideas on thoughts are ALWAYS welcomed, so please REVIEW and MESSAGE me! Thanks everybody. Don't forget to check out my other stuff as well. :) Chapter 22 might be up a little later today. :)**


	22. Ch 22: What's A Smurf?

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 22**

**What's a Smurf?**

The next few days came and went as we used what little free time that we had to clear the kids' room out. We'd made good progress, moving a few things into Darry's room while others were pushed into one corner or the other in order to get to the walls. Thea beds had even been pushed together for more space, leaving the three sleeping together on the bed. I knew that I'd never have to worry about anything with those boys, even though Eden was a growing girl, she was probably safer with them than anyone else. Plus, apparently Soda was his own heater, so she wasn't complaining at the extra warmth in the coolness of the room.

I still remember the look on Ponyboy's face though when Darry brought me home, a can of paint in each of our hands. We'd even managed to borrow a hand full of brushes from Joe, meaning that everyone, and I mean everyone got to pitch in. That meant Steve and Soda too. Soda didn't mind as much though, especially since it was his room too. I guess that was good enough for Steve though, so he agreed to help, although a bit reluctant.

The only problem with putting a bunch of guys together though is that something always happens whether you like it or not.

T

"I'll be right back," I said, before heading upstairs and leaving Darry sitting in his chair with his newspaper.

I had heard a bit of ruckus, so I figured that I'd check it out. After all, I couldn't leave those kids alone for too long. What I didn't expect upon entering the room though was to be bombarded by paint. Although, when this happened, everything stopped momentarily.

"Oh man," Two-Bit chuckled, quickly placing a hand over his mouth in an attempt to stifle his laugh.

It didn't do him much good though and soon all of them were laughing.

"Hey, Two-Bit, come here," I said smoothly, gesturing him over.

Of course he'd never refuse and I knew that for a fact. Then, when he was close enough, I took the paint that was on my face and smeared it all over his.

"Now, that's funny," I grinned.

Then as if doing that was the first strike of war, all hell broke loose and paint was sent flying again, only this time it was completely set in my direction.

"Darry!" I cried, ducking, before quickly being tackled by Two-Bit.

I practically screamed bloody murder as everyone started dousing me with blue paint, getting it all over my skin and hair.

"Get off of me!" I cried struggling to get out of Steve and Two-Bit's grip.

"Sorry, no can do darlin', you're in on this fun now too so ya gotta pay the price," Two-Bit grinned, before getting hit with paint his own self.

"Darrel!" I squealed, hearing footsteps on the stairs.

"Suck it up and take it like a man," Steve laughed, smothering paint into my hair.

"Oh, you _really _don't want me to do that," I grumbled, knowing exactly what I would do if I didn't like these guys as much as I did.

"Oh really now?" he inquired, a grin plastered on his face. "Why don't you try?"

"Because I don't like hitting _children_," I growled, my face slightly red at the uncomfortable position that I was currently in.

"What's going on in here?" came Darry's voice as he stood at the door, his face covered in confusion.

"Help me!" I cried, before getting a painted hand pressed into my face.

"Hey there super-dope, just playing rough with your girlfriend," Steve said offhandedly as he sat on top of my stomach, smearing clumsy designs across my face.

"Would you get off her?" Darry grumbled, picking him up and tossing him on one of the beds in one swift motion.

"Come on, I'm sure you two have been in worse positions," Steve said with a grin.

I could feel my face heat up at what he was insinuating.

"That's none of your damn business Randle," Darry told him, pulling me up beside him.

It was obvious his face was a bit red like mine, so full of embarrassment at the boy's words.

"Damn, I'm right then!" he howled, his laughter soon joined by Two-Bit's.

I felt my face go even redder. That joke of his had now pasted its limit, the thought of it sending shivers down my spine.

Yes, I liked Darry, I liked him a lot, but something like that wasn't happening any time soon. That kid had no right asking about or assuming something like that had taken place.

"Would you shut up!" I yelled, quickly picking up a wet paint stir and throwing it at him before leaving the room.

They had another thing coming to them if they thought I was just going to stand there and put up with something like that. I had my morals and I had my scars, nothing was going to change that.

T

"I swear, if you weren't Soda's best friend, I'd kick your head in," Darry said firmly, before walking out of the room to go after Abigail.

"I don't think you should have done that," Johnny said quietly as he stood there wringing his hands.

It was true, he shouldn't have, but how was he supposed to know that they'd get so pissed? They were just having a bit of fun that's all, he didn't mean any real harm by it. Then again, after thinking things over, he nearly ended up smacking himself in the face.

"Damn…"

T

"Abigail?" Darry called, walking into the kitchen.

She was nowhere to be seen. On closer inspection though, he found the backdoor slightly ajar, indicating that she'd left through the back.

"Abigail?" he called once more, pushing the backdoor open and stepping outside.

There was still nothing, no sound or response. That was, until he heard a stick hitting the fence a little ways down the street.

Sure enough, when he walked into the back street, he found her standing a few houses down.

"Abigail!"

T

"Abigail!"

"Hm?" I turned my head to find Darry jogging toward me, a worried look on his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm fine," I said quickly, turning my head to look down the street, my arms folded over my chest.

It was starting to get dark out, but I really didn't care at the moment. It was better than being back there right now with a red face.

"Abigail, you've gotta remember, those kids don't always think things through before sayin' something," he told me.

"I know that Darry, but…" I paused for a moment, looking down at my feet.

"Hey now," he started, gently gripping my chin and pulling me toward him. "There's no need to be upset. They'd never do anything to hurt you intentionally," he reminded me, pulling me into his arms.

I just sighed before looking up at him, watching a grin slowly creep onto his face.

"What?"

He didn't respond though. Instead, he leaned down a bit, his hand slowly cupping my cheek.

"Darry?" I squeaked, not sure of what he was doing.

"You've got paint all over you," he chuckled, rubbing his thumb against my paint ridden skin.

I felt my cheeks heat up in response, my lips pulling a bit in embarrassment.

If Dally could see me now, he'd never let me live it down.

"Yeah…well so do you," I said, catching him off guard.

Within moments, my hand was tentatively smearing paint across his face.

I swear, the look on his face was downright priceless with his mouth slightly agape, and eyes slightly wide. He couldn't believe that'd I'd just smeared paint across his face and to be honest, neither could I.

"Why you," he started, before grabbing hold of me the rest of the way.

I had no chance of escaping as he held onto me, holding me close to his chest, my arms secured at my sides. I could feel his breath on my neck.

"You're a sneaky one," he whispered into my ear, his voice deliberate and firm, causing me to shiver.

"D-Darry!" I stammered, my face going red.

He then stood up straight, lifting me up a few inches off of the ground in the process.

"Darry!" my face was really red now.

After that, he swung me around a bit until he was holding me in his arms bridal style, my arms wrapped securely around his neck on instinct. I had to bury my face against his shirt because I was so embarrassed.

"Come now, being in my arms can't be that bad," he chuckled.

I merely smacked his chest halfheartedly, before daring to look up at him.

He just smiled down at me, one of those goofy grins on his face that all his brothers seemed to share at times. It was one of those Curtis things that showed they were brothers.

"So, you ready to head back inside now before we have to fend off some Socs?" he asked, a grin on his face.

I just gave him a flat look in response, before shaking my head.

"Take me in before I change my mind," I mumbled, earning a chuckle from Darry.

"That's my girl," he said, throwing me up in his arms a bit, a small squeak escaping my lips.

"Darry!" I cried, smacking at his chest a couple times.

He was doing this on purpose and I knew it. He was doing it just to embarrass me. Then again, it was also his way of taking my mind off of things which always seemed to work for some reason. Well, normally anyway.

"Hey, if you don't like it, I could always just throw you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes?" he joked.

I looked up at him, staring at him as he tried to hide the smirk that was pulling at his lips.

"You wouldn't dare," my voice came out firm as though I knew for a fact that he wouldn't, but there was also a warning in it as well.

"Oh, really now?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "Why don't we just find out?"

"Darry," I warned, gripping the front of his shirt, but that warning was easily cast aside as I was thrown onto his shoulder.

I could feel the rumbling in his chest as I beat on his back. Oh, my face was so red. He paid me no mind though as he walked back toward the house, trying his best to stifle the chuckles that poured from his mouth.

"Darrel Curtis, put me down this instant!" I cried, but it did me little good.

He just continued to laugh, keeping his strong arm around me so that I wouldn't fall.

"Darry, put me down!" I cried.

"Sorry, no can do," he said smoothly.

I swear, I could just tell he had a grin plastered on his face just by the tone in his voice. The last thing that I needed was the kids seeing Darry hauling me into the house like a sack of potatoes. It was down right embarrassing. Although, then again, if I really wanted down then I'd find a way down. It wasn't as if Darry was doing me any real harm. If it were one of those Socs, then I'd be kicking, screaming, and making sure that my foot went where it shouldn't. I'd never do that to Darry though, not in a million years.

"Put me down!" I said once more as he stepped into the house, easily walking into the kitchen.

"Well, look what the big ol' tomcat dragged in," Two-Bit laughed, making my face go beat red.

At this point, everyone was downstairs, leaving all eyes on me.

"Darry, put me down!" I cried.

A moment later, I was dropped onto the couch beside Two-Bit, a perfectly placed grin on Darry's face. I swear, if I had something to throw then I would in a heartbeat.

"So, you two have fun out there," Two-Bit chuckled, throwing an arm around my shoulders like he normally did.

"Leave me alone," I said, turning my head away as I folded my arms over my chest.

I couldn't remember the last time that I'd been so embarrassed. The last time was probably when my mom had made me wear one of those frilly pink dresses. Now that was something that I'd never forget. To think, people wonder why I stick to pants.

"Don't worry, she's not mad," Darry assured him, before walking back into the kitchen.

I just stuck my tongue out at him like a child.

"Boy oh boy do you look funny," Two-Bit chuckled. "You look just like one of those little smurf guys."

"What in the world is a smurf?" I asked, finding myself utter confused.

"A kid I know from school got one of these new comic books that they started a few years ago over seas," he started, a grin on his face. "They got these little blue guys in 'em," he chuckled.

"So, you're saying that I look like one of these so called 'smurfs'?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yes ma'ma," he chuckled.

"Great, I thought that I just looked like a blue bimbo," I said dryly, earning a laugh from everyone in the room.

"Don' worry darlin', I think ya look good in blue," he grinned.

"Why you," I groaned, pushing him off the couch and earning more laughs as a result. "It's gonna take me forever to get all this out," I voiced as I pulled my hair a bit, each strand caked in blue paint. "And all because I decided to check up on a bunch of boys."

**Okay everyone, I hope that you liked this chapter because I know that I liked writing. Also, I did a bit of research before posting this and YES Smurfs were around back then. It originally started out as a Belgian comic in 1958. So, I think it would likely be translated and over in the US by the time that the Outsiders takes place. If not, then for stories sake, let say that it has been. ANYWAY, please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thought, opinions, and ideas on this chapter/story. I'd LOVE to hear what everyone thought of this one. Thanks for reading everyone and keep an eye out, the next one might be up shortly later today! :)**


	23. Ch 23: Prince Charming

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 23**

**Prince Charming**

"So, you wanna tell me why your face is blue?" Joe asked again.

I swear, the look that he gave me when I first came in. Lord have mercy. It was like I had grown another head.

"Let just say the boys had a field day with the paint you gave us. Dragged me right into the mess too," I told him, scratching at my cheek for a moment.

I bet I looked awful funny though, with my skin stained blue and all. I looked like one of those 'Smurf's' as Two-Bit called them. Although, personally, I still thought that I looked like a blue bimbo. That was just me though.

It had taken me all night to get that stuff out. After I scrubbed most of it off of my skin, I had to have Darry help me get it out of my hair. It probably took him a whole hour to get the stuff out. I was still thankful for the help though, I really was. I'd say he'd probably never really washed anyone else's hair , but his own. He didn't seem to mind though much when he helped me, he just took it all in stride and set that little grin on his face. He'd even pulled a chair up for me to sit on so that he could wash my hair in the sink.

"Hey, Joe?"

"Yeah?" he turned to look at me as he wiped his hands off.

"Have you…ever heard of a smurf?" I asked, my face heating up a bit.

"A what?"

Oh great, now I'd just made a fool of myself.

"Nothin', just somethin' that Two-Bit said last night," I told him, going back to fixing the table up.

"I wanna hear this now," Joe grinned.

I just groaned as I pushed the salt and pepper to the end of the table, wiping off the ketchup bottle afterward.

"It's nothing really," I assured him, setting the menus in their place.

"If it were nothing as you say, then you wouldn't have said anything," he pointed out.

"Look, it's just some stupid comic book a kid at school got a hold of," I told him.

"And?" he pressed, leaning on the counter as he stared over at me.

"There's these little blue people in it and he said that I looked like one," I mumbled, wishing the red in my face would just go away.

I stood there waiting for him to start laughing. It only took a minute before he did, bending over against the counter in fits.

"See, this is why I don't tell you things. It took me all night to get that stuff off, even with Darry's help," I complained.

"Oh, so he helped you clean up a bit?"

I opened my mouth to say something and quickly shut as he stood there with a grin on his face. I should have known better than to tell him something like that because now he'd be picking at me.

"And how'd that go?" he asked, smiling over at me.

I gave him a dry look before moving to the next table.

"He washed my hair, in the sink," I added, making sure that there were no gaps left open for discrepancies.

Unfortunately, I knew that there were times when Joe could be as bad as Two-Bit or Steve. Not quite as bad as Dally, but I wouldn't put it passed him if he were in a pretty good joking mood.

"Ah, the lovely maiden and her dashing prince," he chuckled.

"Joe!" I cried, my face going red as usual when he pulled such things.

"Aw, come now Abigail, it just means he loves you all the more if he's willing to clean your hair for you," he grinned.

"Now stop right there mister," I said, pointing a finger at him. "How long do you intend to keep embarrassing me like this?" I asked, hand still raised and finger erect.

He tapped his chin for a moment as though thinking it through making me roll my eyes.

"You know, that's a good question, how much more do you got?"

I narrowed my eyes at this.

"Joe, stop it," I said, walking around him to get the soap.

He just stood there laughing, hand on his side.

"I'm sorry dear, but you're just too fun," he admitted, before patting me on the back.

He really was a good man, but man oh man could he get under my skin at times.

"Now, about that man of yours," he started.

"Joe!"

"Come now, I'll stop, I'm just curious," he assured me.

I sighed at this, running a hand through my hair.

"How are things going? The last few nights we've been rather busy and haven't been able to talk much," he said, leaning against the counter.

"They're still going good," I told him, walking back around with a wet soapy rag.

"Still havin' those nightmares?"

I froze when he asked that, biting my bottom lip. I then swallowed and started wiping the table down.

"Yeah…" I whispered, but still loud enough for him to hear in the empty diner.

Yes, I was still having those nightmares, but it wasn't as bad. It seemed to get a bit better as long as I was close to Darry. I guess it was because I felt safe in his arms, that, and his words calmed me. At least once a week, he would tell me about the countryside before I went to sleep, filling my head with something peaceful. Although, there were still times when my mind would wander away from that and back to that night. Occasionally, they would be mixed with nightmares of my father, but Darry would always be there to calm me when it happened.

"It helps though, being with him," I told him as I wiped the seats in the booth down.

"You know, Abigail, I'm glad that you're happy," he told me. "From what I've seen of that Curtis fellow, he truly seems like the right man for you."

I felt a faint blush creep onto my cheeks when he said this, but at the same time, I felt a small smile pulling at my lips.

"He is…isn't he?" I said quietly.

"Just make sure that he comes to me first though before askin' ta marry you," he said.

"Joe!"

T

After that, the next few week went by pretty much the same. We'd finally finished the kids' room, leaving with the rest of the house to decide on. I had pointed out to Darry that the bathroom needed the wallpaper taken down and painted. It was all torn up and needed done, so I took it upon myself to do, that way Darry could relax a bit. It didn't stop him from trying to help though. In fact, Joe was even nice enough to give me a portion of the day off just so I could paint. I nearly laughed when Darry tried to do the same, making sure that he worked bright and early in the morning so that he could be back around noon.

"Hey, Darry, could you grab me a glass of water?" I asked with a yawn.

I hadn't gotten much sleep and it left me tired, but I still pushed forward, intent on finishing what I was doing.

"Sure," he said, getting up from his chair and walking passed the bathroom into the kitchen.

I heard the water running as I pulled the tape from the wall, leaving behind a fresh clean border. I was happy when I looked it over, standing up and stretching for a moment when I found absolutely no problems with it.

"Here ya go," he said, walking over and handing the cup to me.

I gave him a smile in thanks, before taking a drinks and sighing. I'd likely have to scrub the other walls a bit before painting, that way the paint will go on nice and clean. The thought of having to scrub anymore walls at the moment though made me frown on the inside and apparently Darry noticed.

"Something wrong?" he asked, picking up one of the paint brushes and taking it to the kitchen sink so that he could clean it out.

"I just realized that I'd have to scrub the walls in the living room before applying the paint," I said.

"I could help with that," he told me, running water over the brush.

"Yeah, I know, but I'm too tired right now," I laughed nervously.

"Yeah, I figured as much. You didn't sleep too well last night," he commented.

"I didn't mean to keep ya up last night," I sighed, running a hand through my hair.

"Don't worry about it," he told me, before coming back over and throwing his arms around my shoulders.

He just led me over to the couch before sitting down with me, my head coming to rest against him with a yawn.

"Maybe you should take a nap?" he suggested, pulling his paper onto his lap.

I looked down at it for a moment, trying my best to cover a yawn. My eyes skimmed over the headlines, the words blurring together a bit as I did so. A moment later it was placed to the side, his other arm wrapping around me and pulling me closer.

"Go to sleep. If you really want to look at it, it'll be here when you wake up," he told me, running a hand over my arm.

I just sighed before nodding my head, my eyes closing as I rested against his chest.

"You want the radio on?" he asked.

"Nah, I'm good," I yawned, letting my hand lay on his chest, my fingers hooking on to a bit of the fabric of his shirt.

I just wanted to lay there and listen to the sound of his heartbeat like I normally did. That was always something that relaxed me, allowing me to sleep easier at night. That was one thing that I don't think I could live without at this point, that piece of mind that he gave me. It was because of Darry that I could actually sleep through the night now, unlike when it was just me and Eden. He was a part of my life now, one that I couldn't see myself without anymore.

T

A hour later, everyone was at the house. Steve, Two-Bit, Soda, even Johnny. Ponyboy was nowhere to be seen. According to Two-Bit though, the kid had mentioned something about going to the movie theater.

"Man, what'd you do to tire her out Dar?" Steve asked.

Darry just gave him a dry look, before shaking his head.

"I didn't do anything, she didn't sleep too well last night," he told him, looking down at the girl resting against him.

"How long has she been asleep?" Soda asked, pouring himself a bit of milk.

"I don't know, maybe a hour," Darry shrugged, leaning his head back against the couch.

"Want me to take her so you can get up?" Soda offered.

"Yeah, sure."

With that, they carefully switched places, leaving Soda sitting on the couch with her.

"Now, why do you get ta hold on to her," Two-Bit complained as he went and turned on the TV.

"Because I asked first," Soda laughed.

"You guys wake her up and you've had it," Darry warned, before stepping into the bathroom and closing the door.

That left the guys alone with her, meaning Two-Bit's poking and prodding as usual.

"Lay off Two-Bit," Soda said, trying to swat him away.

"Aw, but it's fun," he whined, before letting loose a laugh.

Soda felt Abigail twitch a bit as a result, feeling her fingers curl around his shirt like she normally did with Darry when asleep or tired. That'd been one thing that he'd come to notice with her. Her hand was always curled around his shirt when she was asleep, almost as though she were clutching at something that might possibly disappear.

He felt sorry for her when he saw it, even though he didn't know everything. All that he knew was what he'd been told. Especially, since he'd never bothered to ask her about it. He wasn't sure that he could ask her though, that was the problem.

He'd seen her wake up from nightmares before, just like the others had, and that was before the whole incident with those Socs. He knew that something else had happened to her before, but he didn't know what it was. He knew that it had to be something back though with the way that she had reacted.

"You thinkin' about somethin'?" Steve asked, catching the look on Soda's face.

"It's nothin'," he said, shaking his head.

"Bet you were thinkin' about her," Two-Bit laughed, referring to Abigail.

"She's Darry's, not mine," he pointed out, watching as his brother came back out of the bathroom after washing his hands.

"I'm going to fix a sandwich, you guys want one," Darry offered as he walked into the kitchen.

Everyone made a sound of agreement at that, before going about their business.

T

"Would you leave her alone?"

"I ain't doin' nothin' wrong."

"Just leave her be Two-Bit."

That's what I woke up to, along with the feeling of someone continuously prodding my leg with their finger.

I let out a small groan at the feeling, cracking my eyes open. Light flooded them, making me blink a few times.

"Great, you woke her up," I heard Soda say, his voice closer than I thought it would be.

"Stop poking me," I groaned, kicking my foot out until I got Two-Bit in the leg.

He merely laughed at this and started doing it again, making me open my eyes the rest of the way. I was surprised when I found myself laying on Soda instead of Darry, a small smile on his face.

"Have a nice nap?" he asked, letting me rest against him just a bit longer.

"Yeah, that is until I woke up to this," I said, staring pointedly at Two-Bit. "Would you stop it," I whined, trying to move my leg away.

He just went after it again until I finally got up off of the couch. I found Johnny sitting in the reddish chair by the door, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Hey kid," I greeted.

"Hey."

His voice was small and I could see a red mark on his cheek. It was likely from his parents.

I swear, I truly felt sorry for him. A life like that was no life for a kid and I knew that personally.

I felt another poke at my leg.

"Would you stop that?" I groaned, shoving Two-Bit onto his back with my foot.

He just laughed as he fell backwards, a huge grin on his face like usual. I just rolled my eyes at this before letting out a yawn and stretching. My back was a bit stiff, the same with my neck, but what can you expect after leaning over for as long as I did trying to paint? Even after taking a nap I was still sore.

"How long have you been sitting there Soda?" I asked curiously.

"Maybe half a hour," he said with a shrug.

I just nodded in response, before walking into the kitchen where Darry stood over the sink.

"Have a nice nap?" he asked.

"I figured you would have heard my answer already," I said with a small smile.

"I did, but I thought that I'd still ask," he told me.

I just shook my head at this, before walking over to the back door, the annoying sound of screeching tires meeting my ears. It was probably some idiot messing around. Then again, the engine sounded a bit different, sounding kind of like one of those souped up cars. I soon found out just how right I was though when I stepped outside. The sound of threats hitting my ears along with Ponyboy's cries.

"Darry!" I yelled, before Ponyboy started yelling the same thing. "Get the hell away from him!" I yelled.

A second later, everyone was racing outside toward them as they hurried to get back in their car. My first response was to go to Ponyboy, quickly falling down beside him as he laid there on the ground, blood running down his neck.

As I looked over at the others, I saw them trying to pull the guys from the car, throwing punches in all directions. Two-Bit had been the first to reach them, getting shoved down to the ground, then Steve and Soda. Soda jumped over the hood of the car and went after the guy in the driver seat while Steve went after the one on the passenger side, grabbing and pulling at the guy's hair and jacket. Steve and Two-Bit nearly pulled the guy out as they put it in reverse, leaving Steve skidding across the ground like he was on a pair of skis.

"Ponyboy, are you okay?" I asked, carefully placing a hand on the side of his face, causing him to flinch.

The poor kid was scared stiff.

"Let me see," I said softly, pulling his head to the side a bit.

The bastards had pulled a knife on him and cut neck. He was lucky that they didn't cut any lower, otherwise they might have hit an artery.

I barely even noticed as Darry knelt down beside me, his eyes checking Pony over.

"They didn't hurt you too bad did they?" Darry asked.

Ponyboy merely gave out a muffled no as Soda came running over, taking a spot on the other side of me.

"Pony, they pull a blade on you?" he asked, placing his hand on his shoulders.

Ponyboy just looked away as he said yes, sounding as if he might start crying.

"They ain't gonna hurt you no more," Soda told him before helping him up.

I was the last to stand up though, my eyes glancing around at everyone. It was almost like being on a quick high of adrenaline, my ears buzzing all over the place.

"Walking by yourself, you don't ever think," Darry said, getting on his brother.

"All I did was walk home from the movies," Ponyboy said quietly, his head down a bit as he pulled at the neck of his sweatshirt.

"Movies and books, movies and books," he started as though he were tired of hearing it. "You know, I, I wish that you could just concentrate on something else just once in awhile," he said, messing around with the small stick he had come to have in his hand.

"Why don't you concentrate on girls and cars? Works for me," Soda said in a friendly manner as he turned his eyes toward Darry.

Darry's eyes went back to Ponyboy though as they stood there, the others coming up behind them.

"Look, if you had to go by yourself, you should have carried a blade," Darry told him.

I was about to say something about that, but Soda beat me to it.

"Oh yeah, that would have been a great excuse for the Socs to cut his neck a little more there," Soda said, gesturing toward Ponyboy.

Unfortunately, I knew that that could have gone both ways. Yes, Soda was right, but so was Darry. Ponyboy shouldn't have gone by himself without anything to protect him, but having a blade could have made things even worse on him.

"If I want my kid brother to tell me what to do with my other kid brother, I'll ask ya alright, _kid brother_," Darry said in irritation before turning and walking back toward the house, throwing his stick down and kicking at the dirt with his foot.

"Geez Soda, why's he always gotta be like that?" Ponyboy asked.

"I'll go talk to him," I offered, before turning and going after him.

I didn't like it when any of them were upset. I sure didn't like it when they were upset with each other, so I left the others to talk.

"Darry?" I called, walking into the house.

He was in the living room, a hand in his hair and a look of frustration on his face.

"He never thinks!" he exclaimed, throwing his hand out of his hair and down to his side.

I just sighed as I walked over to him, placing my hands on his shoulders.

"Darry, Soda's right though," I said, making him look at me. "It could have gone either way. Yes, he shouldn't have been walking by himself with the way that things have been, but if he would have had a blade on him and those Socs saw it, he'd have been in a mess of trouble," I told him, trying to get him to see reason.

"I know, but…"

"No buts," I said firmly. "I know that you worry, but try not to be so hard on him, alright?"

He looked down at me for a moment before nodding.

"Thank you," I whispered, before leaning up and pressing my lips lightly to his cheek.

I could feel the corner of his mouth pulling slightly as I did this, before he went toward the front door and opened it.

"Hey, Ponyboy, you've got homework," he said, letting the door close back on it's own.

Ponyboy soon followed, stepping inside the house. He completely avoided Darry, going up to his room and closing the door behind him.

"I'll be back in a few," I said, quickly making my way out the front door.

Dally was still there, obviously taking his good old time in walking off. I had a pretty good idea that it had to do with me.

"Dally!" I called out, running out the gate and across the street to meet him.

He just stood there, a smile on his face and a cigarette in his mouth.

"Hey there princess," he greeted. "How ya been man?"

"I'd have been better if you hadn't gotten yourself thrown in jail," I said quietly, rubbing my arm.

"Well, from what I hear, you gave the cops an ear full," he said with a grin, taking one last drag of his cigarette, before throwing it to the ground and grounding it out with his shoe.

"Yeah, well, they were bad mouthing you," I told him, grabbing his attention.

"You stood up for me, didn't you?"

I didn't say anything at first, merely staring down at the ground.

"You did, didn't you?" this time, it was more of a confirmation than a question. "Heh, you're somethin' else," he said, letting loose a chuckle.

"I never got to really thank you," I voiced.

He just gave me one of those looks, I don't really know how to explain it. His seemed to soften for a short moment though, before grabbing me and pulling me toward him. Saying that it startled me would be an understatement.

"All you gotta do, is keep being yourself," he told me, his hand under my chin. "And if I remember it correctly, you said you were going to smack me when I got out," he said with a smirk.

That was very true. I had told him that very thing, but to be honest, I didn't feel like smacking him.

"What, you're not gonna smack me anymore?" he laughed. "And to think, I was looking forward to it."

I gave him a dry look when he said that, a sigh escaping my lips.

"And you think I'm something else?" I breathed out, shaking my head.

"Never said I was perfect," he chuckled, before letting me go.

"You don't have to be," I told him, meaning every word of it.

He wouldn't be himself if he were any different.

"But if you get yourself thrown back in jail again, then I really will smack you," I said, pointing a finger at him.

"Well, I wouldn't stop ya for tryin'."

After that, it was silent, just the two of us standing there. It was almost as if we were at a stand still, but also a clear understanding.

"Just remember, if you ever need anything, I'll be here," I said, looking up at him.

I saw the side of his mouth pull at my words, before nodding and pulling me into a headlock.

"Sure thing princess," he chuckled, letting me go a moment later. "Now get back in there before I gotta fight off some more Socs," he said, a smirk on his face.

"Heh, see ya Dal."

"Later Winters," he called, turning around and walking down the street, his hands shoved in his pockets.

That's what I saw as I stood there, a faint smile on my face.

"Good ol' Dally."

**Yay! Chapter 23! I hope that everyone liked it? At this point, the next few chapters will be following the story line for the most part. Please, REVEIW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, and ideas on this chapter/story. I love hearing from everyone. REVIEWS make me happy and help me write! Thanks everyone! :)**


	24. Ch 24: Home Is Where The Heart Is

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 24**

**Home Is Where The Heart Is**

"Hey, Ponyboy, come here," I called, walking up the stairs.

I heard the sound of his footsteps against the floor, the door opening a moment later.

"Yeah?" he sighed, scratching the back of his neck.

"Come downstairs with me for a minute," I said, gesturing towards the stairs.

He just shook his head no, before trying to go back into his room.

"Ponyboy, come on."

"I don' wanna," he grumbled.

I knew what his problem was, he didn't want to be around Darry, and I couldn't really blame him for it. My thing was though, I wanted to get his neck cleaned up so it wouldn't get infected. Knifes aren't always as clean as they may look, something else that I've learned from personal experience. At times, it can be rather easy to get infection. Especially, if you don't clean them properly on a regular basis.

"Ponyboy, just come downstairs for a little bit, alright? Just long enough so that I can clean you up," I tried to compromise, my hand on his shoulder.

He heard him sigh though, before finally nodding his head, finally allowing me to guide him downstairs. The kid was so bothered by Darry that it saddened me. Darry was his big brother and he should be able to look up to him, but not this.

"It'll be alright kid," I said quietly, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Yeah right," he mumbled, taking a seat on the stool in the bathroom.

I merely closed the door behind us, before wetting a wash cloth, the cool water meeting the warmth of my hands.

"You know, he's just worried is all," I said, gently placing my hand on Ponyboy's cheek.

"Yeah, that's a real good excuse," he scoffed.

I caught him though before he could roll his eyes at me.

"You three are brothers, nothing can change that," I pointed out. "It's like me and Eden, we're all the family we've got left," I said, gently wiping at the spot on his neck.

He winced as I did this, trying to pull away a bit.

"What you don't realize, Ponyboy, is that it's hard raising a kid on your own."

My words were quiet, but true. He didn't realize the strain it could put on you when you were left responsible for someone, having to provide for them and protect them. They came first and any dreams you have, they have to be put on hold.

I was a lot like Darry in those regards. Like Darry, I couldn't go to college, I couldn't afford and continue to take care of Eden and do that at the same time. Granted, I didn't know what I wanted to do with myself, but there were possibilities for me out there. My main priority was Eden though. Without me, she'd have nothing. I was all that she had and she was all that I had. All that me and Darry wanted to do was protect them because neither of could bare losing them, that, I knew for sure.

"There, all done," I smiled, wiping at the bit of rubbing alcohol that I had applied.

He didn't like it very much, but he nodded all the same, easily standing back up and walking out the door.

"He loves you, remember that."

I'm not sure if he heard me or not, but I still said it all the same.

T

"I'll see you guys later, I gotta get to work," I said, grabbing a piece of toast as I walked out of the kitchen. "You ready to go Darry?"

"Yeah, I'm ready," he said with a nod.

Once again, he was taking me to work. If I had a car of my own, then there'd be no need to bother him, but I didn't. Otherwise, I would have just let him sleep, but after everything that was going on he still wasn't letting me walk by myself. I couldn't really blame him though.

"Hey, Soda, ya need a ride," he called, grabbing his keys off the counter.

"Nah, I'm just going to walk," Soda told him as he sat at the table finishing his breakfast up.

"Well, let's get goin' then," I pipped up, pulling my jacket on as I walked out the door, Darry following right behind me.

I didn't have time to do anything with my hair, so I just ran my hands through it a few times and patted it down.

"Would you rather use my comb?" Darry asked, taking his place in the drivers seat and starting the truck up.

"I thought that a man's comb was sacred," I teased, a small smile on my face.

"Oh, it is, but I think I can let you use it just this once," he chuckled.

I just burst out laughing at this, just one of those goofy moments that we had together. It was one of those things that we would banter back and forth with a bit just for kicks I guess. After all, we couldn't go without teasing each other a bit every now and then. Hell, it was probably one of the few things that would put us in a good mood at times.

T

"I'll see ya later Dar," I said, leaning over and kissing his cheek before hopping out of the, closing the door behind me.

"I'll be back at four to pick you up," he called, leaning his head out his window.

"See ya later," I waved, before hurrying inside.

I was taking the early shift today and Jennifer was taking over at around four o'clock, so I was left with Joe and the morning crowd. I didn't really mind it though since I was used to switching out half the time. I mean, I still got more hours in than anyone else did, so I was good for the most part. Only thing I didn't like about it was how tired I was at times at the end of the day. The other week, Darry even had to carry me to bed because I was too tired to get up after pulling double shifts three days in a row. Just thinking about it made me tired.

"Alright girl, we're pullin' all the stops out today, so be on your toes," Joe said.

"I'm always on my toes," I cried, giving him an incredulous look.

The man knew better than to say something like that to me. I wasn't like Christine, the one who'd normally take Sundays and Mondays at times. Normally, all that girl did was sit around on her butt. The tables were never clean, floors left unswept, and dishes dirty in the sink. It was terrible. At least with Jennifer, she did her job. Regardless though, I was still Joe's main waitress and it'd likely always be that way.

"In fact, if you want us even quicker, then why not put us on skates like those other places?" I suggested.

"Now, you know that we'd be picking Christine off the floor every five minutes," he chuckled. "And if you're not careful, we might have to end up doing the same for you."

I just stood there with my mouth hanging open as he said this, wondering if my ears had heard correctly.

"Excuse me?" I felt insulted by his words.

"Well, it's not like I'm saying that you're _clumsy_ or anything," he grinned.

"Oh, stop it!"

"Oh, customer!" he countered, a smirk on his face as he turned back toward the kitchen, the entrance bell ringing a moment later.

And so began a long day.

T

By the time that four o'clock came rolling around, I was beat. With all the specials that Joe had going on today to up business, it left the place packed, leaving me without a minutes peace.

I swear, my feet were killing me as I stood near the counter, calls for more drinking ringing in my ears. I wish I could have a moment of silence, but no, it wasn't possible.

"Another coke, sir?" I offered, walking over to a table of football players.

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Me too," his friend called, a grin on his face as he looked me up and down.

I swear, I couldn't wait til Darry came to take me home. Although, I'd still have to wait until Jennifer arrived, but at least I'd have a ride home.

"Coming right up," I sighed, walking behind the counter and filling them up. "Lord, give me strength," I prayed quietly, quickly returning over to the table to give them their drinks.

No sooner did I do that, another group was calling for me. It was like a battle of tug of war between dogs and I was the chew toy.

The Beatles 'Ticket To Ride' was playing in my ears from the jukebox and all I wanted was a ticket out of here.

"How ironic," I snorted, quickly cleaning up as a group got up and left.

I found myself irritated when I realized that they'd left no tip behind, merely leaving behind enough money for the food. Even worse, there'd been five of them.

"Great…" I sighed.

Unfortunately, there wasn't anything I could do about it as I wiped things down, balancing all the dishes in my arms. Before I could do much of anything else, the bell rang again, but this time to my relieve it was Darry.

"Thank you God," I breathed, a smile making its way onto my face. "Darry, be a dear and choose something from the jukebox?" I called over my shoulder, before walking back into the kitchen and setting the dishes in the sink.

Before I knew it, Elvis' 'One-Sided Love Affair' was playing. I just rolled my eyes when I heard it, the sides of my mouth twitching slightly. He'd picked that song on purpose. It was his way of pulling my chain, especially, since he knew that I love him and showed it. The song itself was almost like an inside joke between the two of us, one that I was sure Joe would no doubt pick up on quickly.

"Is that Darrel sitting out there?" Joe asked, looking out his little window.

"Yes, it is," I nodded, cleaning a few of the cup, before placing them upside down on a tray.

"Well, get the boy a drink while he waits. It'll be at least another 15 minutes before Jenny gets here," he said.

"Yes Sir," I complied with a small salute.

That was another game that we would play at times between the two of us. I'm just glad that he didn't call me maggot, then we'd have some real problems. I still got Darry's drink nonetheless though, walking back over to the booth that I'd just cleaned and placed it down.

"If you keep pullin' stuff like that, you won't be getting nothin'," I whispered in his ear before letting loose a quiet laugh.

He just threw a smile my way though.

"You got somethin' better in mind then?" he asked, a coin resting in between the fingers of his outstretched hand.

"I suppose," I said with a shrug, slipping the dull looking coin from his fingertips and into my own.

Now, it was my turn to embarrass him a bit as I popped the coin into the music machine and punching a couple buttons in. A moment later, the melody of The Crystals 'He's A Rebel' started playing out. I merely smiled to myself as I walked back over to him, resting my chin on his shoulder for a moment.

"I think that this one is _much_ better," I smiled, before pressing my lips to his cheek in a quick kiss.

That was all that I had time for as I stood back up properly, my hand brushing his arm for a moment as I walked down to the other end of the diner, my hands expertly sweeping over the table. At least this group had been kind enough to leave a tip for me, each of them had in fact left a tip. This made me grin.

"Hey, Sweetheart, another coke," I heard one of the guys from a few booths over call.

"One moment," I groaned lightly, gathering everything in my arms.

I managed to grab the guy's glass as well and took it behind the counter with me. I then filled it up after setting things down, easily making my way back over to the small group and setting his newly filled glass down in front of him.

"Thanks Sweetheart," he smiled.

"No problem," I nodded, quickly turning around.

I felt him grab hold of my wrist though before I could go anywhere, my body freezing up for a moment at the contact.

"One more thing. What say you join me in a movie tonight?" he said smoothly, trying his best to give me a dashing smile.

"I'm sorry, but I can't," I breathed.

"Why not?"

"Because," I paused, before directing him to the guy at the end of the diner. "I've got a boyfriend," I pointed out, before giving Darry a little wave.

He did the same, before causing the guy to pale a bit. It was so fun I nearly laughed, but that would have been rude and frowned upon, so I just walked away and back down toward Darry.

"I swear, I can't wait to get out of here," I told him, taking a chance and sitting down for a quick moment.

"Shouldn't Jennifer be here already?" he asked curiously.

"Yes, yes she should, but she's not."

Unfortunately, Jennifer was always 15 to 30 minutes late. Granted, she did her job fairly well, but she had a habit of not being on time for some reason or another. Even though that resulted in more money for me, when I was tired, I couldn't care less.

"When we get, can we lay down for a bit?" I pleaded, my head falling down into my arms on the table.

"Sure, but do you mind goin' up to the hardware store with me after this for a bit? I gotta pick a few things up before they close," he told me, before taking a drink of his coke.

I groaned for a moment, but nodded nonetheless.

"Sure," I sighed, trying my best to bite back a yawn afterward.

"It shouldn't take too long, I just gotta pick up a few boxes of nails and a couple bundles of roofing," he explained.

"It's fine, I don't mind."

It was true, I really didn't mind at all, I was just tired and run down from running back and forth all over the place today. It was order after order and no rest. Heck, it'd probably be the same way tomorrow and tomorrow was Saturday. I then gave another yawn as I took hold of Darry's hand, glancing down at his watch. I groaned when I saw that it said 4:38.

"That girl is trying to put me in an early grave," I whined, resting my cheek on top of his hand.

If I didn't get out of here soon, I'd go crazy. Then, almost as if answering my prayers once more, the bell rang and in she stepped.

"Jennifer," I cried, standing up from my seat and walking over to her. "Where have you been?" I exclaimed, nearly ready to start pulling at my hair.

"Sorry, car trouble," she said nervously, scratching the back of her neck. "But I'm here now, so you can go," she told me, quickly making her way behind the counter to put her stuff away.

I just sighed and shook my head before untying my apron and shoving it under the counter.

"I'll see you later Joe," I called, before taking hold of Darry's hand.

"Take care," he said, going back to his cooking a moment later.

"Now, let's get out of here before something else happens."

Darry just laughed at this, pulling me to him as we walked out. I didn't really see what was so funny about it though.

"It's not funny," I whined, getting in when he opened the truck door for me.

"Oh, not funny persay, just interesting to watch," he offering making me narrow my eyes and smack his arm.

Him and his games, it was enough to drive one crazy at time. Then again, any of the guys could do that to you. It just so happened that mine was Darry.

T

By the time that we finally got done and started heading back, I was already halfway asleep in my seat. It had taken even longer to get done because the guy at the hardware store was still new and getting used to everything. I couldn't really hold it against him for that, but it took forever. All that Darry had gotten were a dozen boxes of nails and two bundles of roofing material. It really wasn't that much and yet it took so long to get it done. Plus, the guy kept messing up on the register. The whole thing left me even more tired than I was before.

"Are we almost home?" I groaned, a bump in the road sending my head up an inch or two.

"Yeah, we're almost there," he nodded, reaching a hand over and pushing a bit of hair out of my face.

I gave him the best smile I could as I closed my eyes again, a yawn escaping my lips. I was so tired, but at least we were going home. Then again, what was home anyway?

T

As Darry looked over at Abigail he found her head to be slumped to the side, her eyes close, weight pressed up against the door. She was asleep, not bothering to wake at the occasional bumps that they hit. Once again, her hair had fallen into her face, leaving him to push it back out of the way.

"Abigail," he whispered, turning off the car as he pulled up in front of the house.

Her skin felt so smooth against his calloused hand and sending a rush of feeling through his nerves.

"Let's get you inside," he said quietly, going over to the other side of the truck and opening the door.

She nearly fell out when he opened it, but he was quick to react, grabbing her up in his arms.

"Darry?" she groaned quietly, barely cracking her eyes open enough to look at him.

"Just go back to sleep," he told her, placing one of her arms around his neck as he closed the door back.

Within in seconds, she nodded back off, her eyes rolling into the back of her head with visions of peace. He was just thankful that no one was home yet and no one would be home for a least another hour or more.

Steve and Soda were going out to watch the game with Sandy and Evie, while Johnny and Ponyboy were going out with Dally to the movies. All that, left them with peace and quiet. It also meant that Darry had the chance for some quality time with Abigail once she woke back up, the mere thought of it putting a smile on Darry's face.

"I guess a short nap couldn't hurt," he voiced outloud, gently setting her down on their bed.

That was one thing that after a while, he'd found himself strangely happy with, sharing a bed with her. It allowed him to keep an eye on her and be close to her. Sure, he didn't know what is parents would say about it if they were still around, but that was neither here nor there. The fact of the matter was that it was good for both of them, mainly Abigail. She was so used to being by Darry's side that she couldn't sleep without him half the time, one of the reasons why they'd said the hell with it and agreed to share the bed together. To Darry, that was far better than sleeping on the couch. Besides, it wasn't as if they were doing anything. Kissing and sleeping side by side was the only intimacy that they'd come to know. Anything further than that, well, that would have to wait. If there was one thing that his parents did, then it was raise him right. Darry would marry her first before they tried going any further.

With that thought in mind though, he removed his shirt, coming to lay down beside her as he pulled her against him.

"Darry…" she murmured, her hand coming to lay on his chest, right above the beating of his heart.

Darry could feel his eyes lids growing heavy as he laid there, the sound of their breathing melding into one, and their hearts coming to beat together in unison. As he fell asleep, it was like they were one.

T

As I came to, I felt something warm and firm beneath me, a certain smoothness against my fingertips. It was the smoothness of skin, something smoother than that of my fingertips themselves that had become slightly rough over the past few years.

I didn't bother opening my eyes though as I laid there, feeling the raise and fall of Darry's chest. His breathing was calm and even, something that could easily put me back to sleep if I let it. I could his muscles twitch as I let my hand glide gently across his torso and abdomen, both taut and strong. It wasn't until my hand got to his side that I felt him twitch, his hand quickly coming up and grabbing hold of mine.

"Hm?" I looked up to find him staring at me, a strange look on his face.

"D-don't," he said quietly, placing our hands on top of his stomach.

I sat up a bit at this, giving him a curious look.

"You're not ticklish, are you?" I asked slowly, raising an eyebrow at him.

He shifted for a moment before looking at me, giving me the answer to my question without even saying a word.

"You are," I grinned, slowly getting up a bit more.

"Abigail," his voice was a bit nervous as he moved back a bit, slight warning in his voice.

Before he could do anything though, I was attacking his side, his voice coming out sounding strangled.

"Abigail!" he cried out, trying his best to move away.

It did him little good though as I continued with my assault on his side, rolling around on the bed with him a bit. After a few minutes of this though, he managed to take back control, easily pinning me to the bed.

As I looked up at him I found his breath coming out in heaves as he kept my hands above my head, his body hovering over mine, and a hand beside my face. He was so handsome, so charming, so wonderful. I could see the love in his eyes as he stared down at me, his hand coming to rest gently on my cheek.

"Darry," I breathed, closing my eyes as he leaned in, his lips brushing against mine.

I felt my mind clouding over as he did this, his lips meeting mine once more in a soft sweet kiss. It was moments like this that I lived for, just so that I could thrive in them and feel loved. Oh how he loved me, his tender touch a blissful calm, his voice like sweet velvet.

I felt his hand loosen on my wrists as he kissed me again, pressing his lips lightly to mine. I then wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him just a bit closer as I laid there.

"I love you," he whispered, pressing his forehead against my, a small smile on his face.

"I love you too," I said softly, bringing my lips to his.

Our time was cut short though when we heard the front door open, the sound of Soda's voice calling up the stairs.

"Hey, Darry, I'm home," he called.

I couldn't help, but to laugh when Darry sighed, the look of disappointment and annoyance on his face.

"Maybe later?" I smiled, leaning up and kissing him one last time. "Why don't you go and put a shirt on before he comes up here and gets the wrong idea."

"That's the last thing that I need," he groaned, before pushing off the bed and grabbing his shirt.

I sat up as I watched his put it back on, undoing his pants as he tucked it in like usual. I couldn't help, but to let out a yawn as I sat there, running a hand through my hair as he pulled his button up over that as well, leaving it open like he usually did.

"You hungry?" he asked, walking back over.

"Well, since I haven't had anything since this morning, I'd have to say yes."

He shook his head at this, before walking out the door and down the stairs, undoubtedly heading for the kitchen.

T

"So, how'd the game go?" I asked, taking another bite of my mashed potatoes.

"Pretty good. Home team won," Soda grinned, before taking a bite of his own food.

"That's good."

Other than that, not much was said while we all ate, leaving any further discussions to be held afterward.

Once everyone was done eating though, we piled into the living room, Darry in his chair and me and Soda on the couch. All we really had to do was wait for Ponyboy to get home.

The whole time, Darry merely sat there watching me and Soda playing cards, just something to pass the time. It was a fairly simple game since I didn't like the idea of gambling or playing for money like Steve and Soda normally did. Just a simple game of Slap Jack. Although, I'd have to say it was slightly painful though, that boy had pretty quick reflexes. Half the time I'd try to go in to claim the cards, I'd get my hand smacked before I could pull them away. It was all in good fun though so I didn't really mind. After all, it was better than playing something like bloody knuckles, now that was painful. I'd never personally played that game before, but I'd seen others do it and walk away with their hands looking like a red hot fire poker.

After a couple hours of playing, we finally called it a quits and went back to laying on the couch. The TV was then turned on, leaving us to whatever decided to play. I wasn't really that interested in what was on though, so I just closed my eyes and stretched out, laying my feet on Soda's lap. He didn't seem to mind though as he sat there, leaning back into the couch while propping a foot up on the coffee table.

From there, everything went in and out of focus, all noise meshing together and becoming muffled to my ears as I yawned. I couldn't even make out the words being exchanged between the two as I fell back asleep.

T

"So…" Soda started, glancing over in Darry's direction.

"What?"

"What were you guys doing earlier when I got home anyway?" Soda asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

Darry had thought that Soda hadn't noticed anything when he had gotten home, but he was wrong. Soda had caught the slightly begrudging look that Darry had held on his face when coming downstair, that, and the fact that his shirt was a bit messed up as though he'd just thrown it back on. Soda may not have been the brightest of the bunch, but he could always tell when something was up, and this time something was up with Darry.

"I don't know what you mean," Darry said, looking back down at his paper.

"Sure you do," he said firmly, a grin slowly creeping onto his handsome face. "After all, you came out of your room looking like I'd interrupted something rather _pleasant_," he chuckled, catching the look in Darry's eyes.

He could tell that his brother was becoming slightly embarrassed.

"And that could only mean one thing," he said, leaning forward a bit, his arm coming to rest lightly on Abigail's lower legs. "You guys were getting on."

"We were not," Darry snapped quietly in a hushed tone, not wanting to wake Abigail up.

At this point, it was obvious that Soda had struck a nerve, but that was always easy among brothers. Then again, it wasn't exactly like he was innocent of such an act, he'd done it once with Sandy. Then again, he was also in love with Sandy. Darry was old though, so he supposed that if he wanted to get intimate with Abigail, then could by all right. After all, it's not like their parents could do anything, they weren't around anymore.

"Hey, I'm not gonna tell anyone," Soda said, trying to bite back a smile. "After all, she is your girlfriend, so it's to be expected," he chuckled.

Darry merely gave him a hard look before getting up.

"We were not getting it on," he stated.

"Sure," Soda mumbled, before leaning back into the couch.

"Look, we were just laying down for a bit," Darry told him. "Besides, if we _were_ getting it on, it'd be after we're married and when I know you guys aren't going to be around," he pointed out begrudgingly.

"So you're going to ask her to marry you then?" Soda asked, his interest obviously being peaked.

"No, I…I mean," he didn't know what he say as his brother caught him tongue tied and a loss for words.

After a few moments of silence, Darry sat back down in his chair, his arms folded over his chest.

"You know," Soda started slowly. "I wonder what Mom and Dad would think if they were still here," he said quietly.

"About what?" Darry inquired, lifting his eyes to his brother.

"About all of this," Soda gestured around him, his eyes landing on Abigail after a moment.

Darry's eyes soon followed, his eyes softening at the sight of her sleeping form.

"I bet Mom would have loved her, welcomed her with open arms," he said softly, before turning his eyes back to Soda.

"And Dad would have given her a hard time just to irritate you," Soda chuckled.

It was true though. Although, their father would have given Darry a hard time more than anything, saying that his boy was finally finding love and becoming a man. He would have said that Abigail was a real keeper, just like everyone else had. He probably would have tried to embarrass Darry in front of her too. Then again, what parent wouldn't when their son had found such a wonderful person that might possibly one day become part of the family. Then again, if their parents were still around, Darry probably wouldn't be. He'd probably be off at college and possibly never have met Abigail. The thought of something such as that made his heart ache.

"If they were still here, I never would have met her," he whispered.

"Huh?" Soda hadn't quite heard what he had said.

"Nothing," he assured him, shaking his head.

Thoughts like that were better off forgotten.

T

Everything after that was pretty much a blur, the fighting with Ponyboy, the raised voices, everything. Everything turned into a mess when Darry had hit Ponyboy, knocking the dishes to the floor in the process.

"Darry," Abigail whispered, her eyes scared and sad.

**Yay! Chapter 24! I hope that everyone liked it because I know that I liked reading this one. Parts of it get you thinking just a little bit more. Plus, it was a bit more Darry/Abigail time. I also realize that by coming this far in the story that I'm now at the BOOK and I've been having people asking me questions about it. Personally, I don't wish to see Johnny OR Dally die. If they did, I could see clearly what Abigail would do in my head, but that's beside the point. She'd be EXTREMELY pissed at Dally if that happened. XD Anyway, I do NOT plan on killing off two members of our little Greaser family. Besides, Dally still has a role to play in things. And Johnny, he's just too sweet a kid to kill off. If anyone has ANY IDEAS, I'd be MORE than happy to hear them. Anyway, don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, and ideas on this chapter/story. Thanks for reading everyone!**


	25. Ch 25: Nothing Like Him

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 25**

**Nothing Like Him**

I woke up early the next morning in a cold sweat. There was silence all around me. I also noticed the lack of warmth that normally came with sleeping beside Darry. I felt bad for keeping away from Darry, but it had unnerved me seeing him hit Ponyboy. I mean yeah, I realized that he didn't mean it. Darry had regretted his actions the second he'd done it. That didn't change the fact that it had scared me though, reminding me of my father for a split second. I felt ashamed at my self for even thinking such a thing. Darry was nothing like my father at all. Darry was loving, caring, honest. He was everything and a piece of my life. He was not my father in anyway.

So, with a sigh I sat up, running a hand through my damp hair. I needed a shower. After that, I'd apologize to Darry, but for now I needed a shower.

T

Darry woke up to the sound of water running downstairs, flipping over onto his stomach. It was then that he remembered that Abigail wasn't by his side, a frown forming on his face. He'd scared her last night when he'd gone off on Ponyboy, hitting him and causing him to run off. He hadn't meant to do that to him, never in a million years. He felt absolutely terrible, ashamed at what he'd done. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to take it back. If he could, he would, but he couldn't. Now, he was left staring out at nothing, the sound of the running of water washing over his senses.

T

It wasn't until I was finished that I'd realized I'd forgotten a change of clothes. The only good thing was that I knew no one would be up yet, leaving me wrapping a towel around myself and walking upstairs.

It was quiet as I pushed the door open to Darry's room, finding him laying there on his stomach asleep from what I could tell. His breathing was even and his eyes were closed. He looked at peace.

I then walked over to the dresser, pulling out the top drawer on the left. He'd been kind enough to share it with me, giving me one half, while he took the other. It kept my private things private, just as it did for him, making it easier for the both of us. Regardless, I knew he'd never bother with any of it, so I didn't have to worry about anything. Now, if it were one of the others, then I might be worried. That was neither here nor there though as I easily pulled on my undergarments from the safety of the towel, leaving me to chose my clothes for the day. I merely chose a light blue button up shirt and a pair of dark jeans, dropping my towel quickly and slipping my jeans on. I was met with a grunt a moment later, causing me to turn around, my mouth hanging open in embarrassment.

"D-Darry!" I cried, my face going red as I stood there, a few buttons left undone at the top showing of the very rim of my bra.

"I'm sorry," he chuckled, sitting up on the bed.

I concluded that he'd been awake the entire time, my face going even redder.

"I hate you!" I cried half heartedly in embarrassment, before throwing the towel at him.

He merely caught it in his hands, before standing up and walking toward me, his arms wrapping around my waist a moment later.

"Let go!"

He just grinned, pulling me closer, his chin coming to rest upon my shoulder.

"I didn't mean any harm," he chuckled, kissing my neck lightly for a moment.

My face went even redder at this if that was even possible, my arms folding over his chest.

"If it makes you feel any better, I closed my eyes when you changed," he told me, his breath tickling my skin.

"No, it doesn't," I said childishly.

He shook his head at this, before lifting me up into his arms, a squeak escaping my lips in response as I wrapped my arms around his neck instinctively.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you got a kick out of this," I grumbled lightly.

"Nope, that would be Two-Bit," he assured me, sitting down on the edge of the bed with me in his lap.

"Um, Darry?"

"Yeah?"

I paused for a moment, looking down at the floor.

"I'm sorry about last night," I whispered, remembering the reason I'd come up here.

I'd originally planned on waking him up and fixing him breakfast, apologizing afterward, but I saw my opportunity here and decided to take it while I could.

"I should be the one apologizing," he admitted, his eyes becoming down cast. "I never should have yelled at him or hit him," he told me, obviously upset with himself at the whole thing.

"Darry," I whispered, placing a hand on his cheek. "I know that you didn't mean to. I'll admit, it scared me, yes, but I know that you didn't mean it," I told him, caressing his cheek with my thumb.

I felt him lean into my touch, his eyes closing. He always seemed to enjoy it when I did this.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered.

"We'll find him, I promise."

The other reason why I'd slept downstairs had also been incase Ponyboy had come back, but he never did. I'd stayed awake until at least four o'clock, just sitting up a bit longer and waiting. Eventually, I had fallen asleep, another reason why I now had a kink in my neck.

"If anything happens to him, I..." I merely placed a finger to his lips, stopping him from speaking further.

I wouldn't hear suck things from him, I just wouldn't. I know what it was like to blame oneself and it just didn't suit him.

"Hush," I whispered.

T

A couple hours later, Soda was up and about, a solemn look on his face when he'd found out that Ponyboy hadn't come home. He was worried about Pony like any good brother would be. It also left me holding both boys together. It was something, a job that I'd unknowingly took on over the years for others other then myself.

"Look, I gotta get to work, but after that I promise we'll go out and find him," I told Soda as I finished my tea.

After that, I tied my shoes up and pulled the cuffs of my pants down. Again, I'd be busy at work until four o'clock. It wasn't exactly something that I was thrilled about, but it was money in my pocket all the same.

"Alright, let's go Darry," I called, grabbing my jacket. "I'll see you later kid," I waved, quickly making my way down the steps and over to Darry's truck, Darry following behind me.

T

By the time that I got to work, things were busy as hell, just like yesterday.

"The hell have you been girl?" Joe asked.

"I'm sorry, I'm real sorry," I said nervously, making my way behind the counter. "We were up all night long because Ponyboy ran off," I explained, tying my apron around my waist, my order pad in hand.

"We'll talk in a few, take care of everything," he told me, going back to cooking.

It was obvious that he was already in over his head at the moment, so I'd have to work extra hard to make up for being late.

"More tea!" someone called out among the crowd of tables.

I just sighed as I pulled my hair back, walking around the counter to begin my day.

T

I was cleaning up one of the booths as I heard a group talking, their words catching my attention.

"Did you hear about that kid that got killed last night?" one guy asked his friends.

They just shook their heads.

"It was over in Greaser territory. Apparently a Soc got Greased last night," he said.

I stopped for a moment as I stood there, something clicking in my head.

"Apparently, a couple of kids did it. It was even in this mornings newspaper," he added, showing his friends.

"Hey, can I see that for a minute?" I asked, standing in front of their table.

The guy just grinned at me, before handing it off to me.

"Sure babe," he grinned, his friends chuckling in response.

As I read over it, I felt my heart stop. The kid that had gotten killed last night was Bod Sheldon. He was a real jerk at times, especially when drunk. I'd had the _honor_ of meeting him a few times. What hurt worst though was when I read Johnny and Ponyboy's descriptions in the paper, my breath catching in my throat.

"Um, excuse me for a moment," I said quickly, making my way to the back and to the phone.

I quickly dialed the number for the house, the phone ringing a few times before they finally picked up.

"Darry?"

"Abigail, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice coming out worried.

"Darry, we've got a problem. Have you looked at this morning's paper?" I asked, standing there with my back against the wall.

"No, why?"

I groaned at this, running a hand over my face.

"I know why Ponyboy didn't come home last night," I said quietly. "Soc got killed last night…the paper's sayin Johnny and Pony did it. Their descriptions are in the paper," I cringed.

I could hear him gasp on the other end of the line.

"You're kidding me?" his voice was frantic and I couldn't blame him.

"I'm afraid not," I whispered. "Problem is, that still doesn't tell us where they are."

"I don't know," he sighed. "I tried Two-Bit's already, but he hasn't seen 'em," he told me.

"What about Dally?" I suggested.

"I tried, but he's not answering," he told me.

"Damn it," I hissed, smacking the back of my head into the wall behind me.

I then heard people calling for me, a sigh escaping my lips.

"Darry, I gotta go, I'll talk to you later," I said.

"Alright," he sighed.

"I love you," I whispered, leaning over the phone.

"I love you too," he replied.

We hung up a moment later and I walked back out, a sullen look on my face. This wasn't going to end well, that much I knew.

T

"You better start talkin before I kick your head in," Darry said, eyeing Dally.

"Darry, give him a chance," I said, putting myself between the two.

We'd just got back from picking Dally up from the police station and Darry was already on his tail. Personally, I still didn't know why the cops had dragged him in. Then again, this is all Dally that we're talking about, a rough no good hood as some liked to call him.

"As I was sayin, before I was so rudely interrupted," he grunted, pulling a cigarette from behind his ear. "The cops kinda beat it outta me that they were headed down to Texas," he stated, running a hand through his hair, wincing a moment later.

"What? Texas?" Two-Bit exclaimed, making to move toward the door.

"Two-Bit, stop it, he's lying," I said flatly, crossing my arms over my chest.

"What?" Two-Bit looked confused as ever.

"I said, he's lying. They're not in Texas," I told him.

"How do you know," Dally scoffed.

I narrowed my eyes tiredly in response.

"Because I know a load of crap what I see it," I said simply.

"A load of crap, huh?" he raised an eyebrow, coming to stand a foot in front of me.

"Yes, a load of crap," I grunted, our faces, but inches apart.

He was putting on a good show, I'll give him that, but still. I was tired of this and wanted the truth.

"Now, where are they?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said with a shrug.

"Stop screwin with us," Darry said firmly, his voice raising a bit in annoyance.

"I'm not, I got no clue where they are man," Dally told him.

A moment later, Darry had his by the collar of his shirt, glaring at him.

"Where the hell did you send my brother?" Darry growled.

He was trying to see tough and threatening, but I could see that it was just a front. He was trying his best to hold up, but I could see him breaking, little by little.

"Darry, stop it!" I said, pulling him off of Dally.

Granted, he could have held on to him if he wanted to, but he allowed me to ease him away.

"Just calm down," I whispered, squeezing his hand lightly. "I'll take care of this," I told him, before grabbing Dally by the arm and pulling him outside.

"Now what?" he groaned, walking down the sidewalk with me.

"I want the truth," I said, stopping after a moment to look at him.

"Sorry, but no can do," he replied.

"Dally," I warned.

He just lit his cigarette, before taking a breath of it, placing the stick in my mouth a moment later.

"Here, have a smoke," he said absently, moving to walk off as a way to avoid things.

I coughed a moment later after accidently inhaling it, my nose scrunching up in disgust, before I shoved him in irritation. He was trying to stall, but I didn't know why.

"Dally, I won't tell anyone," I promised, stomping his cigarette out on the pavement. "I just need to know that they're safe," I sighed, looking up into those apprehensive eyes of his. "I know that you helped them, sent them somewhere where they'd be safe," I voiced, watching his reaction. "I'm not stupid, so I can tell a lie when I hear one," I told him.

He sighed after that, running a hand through his hair.

"I swear, if I get my head kicked in," he started, eyeing me for a moment.

"I won't say anything, I swear. I just need some peace of mind is all," I said quietly.

"Fine," he sighed. "I sent 'em off to Windrexville," he finally told me.

"Thank you," I breathed.

"Can I go now?" he groaned, wanting to get away from everything.

"Yeah, you can go," I nodded.

"Finally."

"If you see them, tell them that I said hi?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure."

"Thanks Dal," I smiled.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he grumbled, stuffing his hands in his pockets before walking off.

I just shook my head as I watched him disappear, feeling my own self wanting to do the same thing, just to get away from everything.

"At least they're safe," I whispered, turning my head to the sky.

The stars were out and shining brightly, a testament to the sky's beauty. I merely wondered if the boys could see this very same thing as I stood there, eyes closing for a moment. I just hoped that they were okay.

**Finally, the long awaited chapter 25! I finally made it to 25 chapters! Go me! XD Anyway, please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story? I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK from everyone. It makes me happy, keeps me writing, and gives me inspiration. Also, please check out my PROFILE for other stories that you might like. I have a new story up now for Of Mice And Men "A Rancher's Touch" This book might have been a reading requirement for some of you like it was for me. Anyway, it's for George Milton, a rather interesting character if I do say so myself. The man needs love, so I wrote him a story. Let me know what you think? Thanks everyone!**


	26. Ch 26: Golden Sunrise

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 26**

**Golden Sunrise**

The next morning I was seated outside on the porch, knees spread slightly apart as I stared at the morning sky. It was beautifully painted, with pinks and oranges, the sun peaking out behind the clouds slowly. The sun itself was a bright neon orange, pulsing with light as the rays reached out through the sky, lining the clouds in the same color. I rarely took time out to watch things like this anymore.

"Abigail?"

I turned around upon hearing the tired voice, finding Darry standing inside the doorway, a hand on his face as he rubbed his eyes.

"Darry," I whispered, a small smile pulling at my lips.

"What are you doing outside so early?" he asked, stepping outside with a yawn.

I smiled at him, patting the spot next to me as I turned my eyes back toward the sky, the colors changing little by little.

"I was watching the sun rise," I explained, feeling him sit beside me, his hand scratching lightly at the stubble on his chin.

"I can't remember the last time I sat back and watched the sun rise," he breathed, his eyes looking toward the sky.

I could see the light reflecting off of his eyes like a mirror, the colors melding and changing as though being put together and painted by a master.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" I asked, turning my head to look at him.

I watched as the corners of his lips tugged up into a smile, eyes shifting in my direction.

"It is," he agreed, an affectionate look in his eyes as he reached over, placing his hand on my cheek.

For a few moments we merely stared at one another, his thumb running lightly over my cheek, painting a feeling of warmth across it. I found myself closing my eyes as I sat there, enjoying the feeling of his touch. He was always so gentle, not once rough with me. He was sweet in his own way.

If it weren't for current circumstances, we would have taken advantage of this opportunity alone. Soda was in bed and Eden would likely be waking up in a couple more hours over at her friend's house. When she got back, I'd be having a word with her. She'd been absent from the house far too much as of late. I wasn't sure the reason for her actions, but it was starting to bother me.

T

After about a hour and a half we were back inside, sitting on the couch together after eating breakfast. Soda was also up at this point, taking his time in the shower. After he was done he came back out, clad in a pair of pants, before plopping down in Darry's armchair. He had a grin on his face as he looked over at us.

"What's so funny?"I asked, letting out a small yawn as I laid there against Darry's side, pulling my eyes away from the TV.

"Nothin', just the two of you is all," he chuckled.

Darry gave him a dry look at this, before shaking his head.

"Why don't you go put a shirt on and leave us alone?" he grumbled quietly, leaning his head back into the couch a bit more.

"Why, you afraid she'll find me more attractive?" he joked.

I narrowed my eyes half heartedly at this, before throwing the couch pillow at him, watching as it hit him in the head. He still had a smile on his face though as he sat there.

"Sorry about your luck kid, but I'm stickin with your brother," I said firmly, wrapping my arms around Darry and keeping him close.

Both brothers chuckled, Darry's arms wrapping around me in return, squeezing me lightly.

"See? She's mine," Darry said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Now was my turn to laugh, shaking my head at the two of them.

"You two are definitely brothers," I breathed, closing my eyes for a moment as my head rested against his chest.

"Nothin better than having a Curtis or two around," Soda grinned, before standing up, making his way upstairs.

I shook my head once more, simply laying there, my fingers curling around the front of Darry's shirt like always. I could feel the warmth of his body through the slight chill in the house, curling into it. He chuckled at this, rubbing my arm gently.

"You remind me of a cat," he chuckled, playing with my hair for a moment, curling a lock around one of his fingers.

"A cat?" I asked skeptically, raising a brow in question.

He just grinned at me, before nodding his head.

"And how is that?" I asked, waiting for an answer.

"Well, for one," he started, leaning forward until his face was about two inches from mine. "You always have your claws in," he grinned, his hand coming to rest upon my cheek, fingers going beneath my chin to raise it ever so slightly.

"Any other reason?" I asked, tilting my head to the side slightly.

"I'm sure I can think of a few more," he mumbled, pulling me closer until our lips met, pressing into a pleasant kiss.

"I never knew he was such a lady killer," Soda called, laughing all the while.

Darry pulled back, a sliver a pink dusting his cheeks.

"Soda!" his voice was quick and full of annoyance.

"See ya later, I'm gonna go meet up with Steve," Soda called over his shoulder, before running out of the house, and leaving the two of us alone.

T

After a while, we left the house, driving over to the store for groceries. We were low on food, so I reminded Darry, dragging him along with me.

Darry followed me throughout the store, walking either beside or behind me. With the money that I made, it allowed us to buy better food, giving us fruits and vegetables. It was fresh instead of canned, something that I preferred when cooking or making dinner.

"So, what should we fix for dinner tonight?" I asked, turning my head toward Darry as I pushed the cart.

He scratched his cheek for a moment in thought, before meeting my eyes.

"Sweet potatoes?" he suggested.

I smiled at this. It had been a while since I'd fixed sweet potatoes, but it was also something that I was good at.

"We're going to need brown sugar though," I told him, earning a curious look. "What do you say to candied sweetpotatoes?"

I watched a smile form on his face at my words, his eyes alight.

"Sounds good to me."

So with that, we continued our journey through the store, picking up some more flour and brown sugar. I also picked up some whole wheat bread and cereal, placing them in the cart with everything else. I even grabbed some chocolate, a toothy grin on my face when Darry looked over at me.

"What? I want something sweet," I said, pushing the cart along.

He chuckled after a moment, gently wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

"You better not start bouncing off the walls later," he teased, making me shove him slightly.

"Oh, stop it," I laughed, pushing the cart toward the checkout.

He merely followed beside me, pulling the cart up to the counter.

"Ready to check out?" the man asked, looking between the two of us.

We nodded in unison, before placing things up on the counter until the cart was empty. I then went and put it away, walking back up beside Darry, my head coming to lay against his shoulder as we watched the man ring everything up.

A few minutes later, everything was rung up and the money was placed in his hand, our things now in paper bags. I merely grabbed a couple of bags, heading out to the truck and placing them in the bed. Darry followed a minute later, holding the rest in his arms.

"Here," I said, taking two of them and placing them in the back.

Darry placed the rest in as well after he was free enough, before walking around to the other side and getting in. I got in as well, shutting the door behind me as I leaned back in the seat. Within seconds, the engine roared to life, and Darry was pulling out of the lot. He then slowed to a stop as we rounded the corner, watching the light turn red. We watched as cars flew passed us, speeding down the street. Watching this reminded me of my life. It just flew right on by as the years kept going. Although, sometimes it couldn't seem to move fast enough.

"Abigail?" Darry called, his voice breaking me out of my train of thought and making me jump.

"Yeah?" I asked quickly, blinking a few times as I turned my head to look at him.

"You okay?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Y-yeah, I was just thinking, that's all," I said quiet, trying my best to push a smile onto my face.

I never was that happy when thinking about my past, but I suppose it's to be expected. After all, why would I be happy with abuse, both physical and mental? Luckily, I'd been old enough at the time to know that it was wrong. Otherwise, I could only imagine where I would be at.

"You sure?" he asked, reaching a hand over and placing it on top of mine.

I gripped it lightly in my own, turning it and interlocking our fingers together with one another.

"Yeah," I said quietly.

He still seemed a bit unsure though, but still nodded, pressing his foot on the gas once the light turned green. I just closed my eyes, feeling the faint tug from the truck as it moved, turning and stopping every now and then. I didn't even bother opening my eyes until we came to a final and permanent stop, Darry's hand raising with mine for a moment.

"We're home," he whispered in my ear, making me shiver, a small smile forming.

After that, he killed the engine, pulling the key from the ignition and pushing open his door. He stepped out of the truck, walking around the front and opening my door for me, holding his hand out. I took it without hesitation, jumping out and coming to stand before him.

"Come on, let's get this inside," he said, moving and grabbing a couple bags from the back.

I followed after him as I did the same, following him through the metal gate and up onto the porch where he pushed the door open for me. I just walked in and went to the kitchen, sitting the bags down on the counter.

"I'll grab the rest," I announced, walking back outside to grab the remaining two bags, a kid riding passed me on his bike.

I nearly dropped everything because how close he had been, shaking my head afterward and walking back inside.

"I swear, some kids have no manners," I voiced, coming to stand beside Darry as I placed the last two bags down.

"Well, hopefully, you don't think the same of me?" he joked, earning a playful glare from me.

"Oh yes, you're down right terrible," I said with a straight face, trying my best not to laugh.

"Really now, am I so bad?" he asked, placing a hand on either side of the counter, leaving me with no place to go as I leaned back against it a bit.

"Yes," I nodded, watching the corner of his mouth twitch slightly.

"I am?" he leaned forward a bit, slowly bringing his face in front of mine.

"Yes," I said once more.

"Really?" he inquired softly, before pressing his lips to mine, his left hand coming up to rest upon my cheek as he put his weight on the other.

We stood there for a few moments, merely getting lost in the mess that was us. I could feel his lips twitching into a smile after a moment, same as mine.

"Am I still terrible?" he joked, a chuckle escaping his lips, his breath lightly brushing my skin as he spoke.

"I don't know, maybe you should try again," I said with a shrug, watching as he leaned forward once more, my arms wrapping loosely around his neck as he kissed me again.

"You know, you should be careful, I might just get used to this," he chuckled between kissing me, his arm finding its way around my waist, pulling me a bit closer to him.

"Is that such a bad thing?" I asked, a smile on face as I ran a hand through the back of his hair.

"I guess it depends," I whispered softly, closing his eyes as he brushed noses with me.

"On what?"

"I don't know," he chuckled, his lips coming back down to capture mine again, their warmth giving me a feeling of bliss.

I could feel myself smiling into the kiss as my eyes closed, savoring the feeling that it gave me. I wished that this could last forever, but alas, we needed air. So after a moment, we finally pulled back, staring into each others eyes.

"Perhaps we should start fixing supper?" I suggested, playing with a piece of his hair.

He seemed a bit disappointed, but nodded nonetheless. Although, not before brushing my lips one more time.

"Alright Casanova," I laughed, kissing him on the cheek.

I then maneuvered out of his grip and grabbed stuff out of the bags, placing various items in the refrigerator, while laying others out on the counter. He merely stood there watching me as he leaned backwards against the counter, a soft look in his eyes.

"Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to help me?" I asked, trying not to laugh.

He just grinned, before stepping forward and helping me, grabbing a pot and filling it with water. After that, he placed on the stove, turning the burner onto medium high to heat it to a boiling point. Once it started bubbling, I carefully dropped the sweet potatoes in, standing back and placing the lid over it. It wouldn't take very long to do, so I started working on the rest, pulling the strings from the green beans and cutting them. I smiled as I watched him do the same, being careful not to cut himself. He wasn't too bad at this.

"Where did you ever learn to cook anyway?" I asked, feeling like I already knew the answer even after asking.

"My mom," he told me, tossing a bad one to the side.

"Wow, manners, charm, grace, she taught you everything didn't she," I smiled, watching as he moved a bit closer.

"Don't you know it."

T

After everything was said and done, the food was finished and we ate, Darry setting the table while I took care of everything else. Eden had even returned home, sitting down to eat with us, same as Soda. Everyone seemed to enjoy their food and before we knew it, dinner was over, and it was time for bed. That left Darry and me alone in his room on the bed, me curled up against him like usual. That's how it always was.

"Do you think he's okay?" Darry asked quietly, his arm wrapped around me as he laid there on his bad.

"Huh?" I turned my head to look at him.

"Ponyboy," he said, biting his bottom lip slightly.

"I'm sure he's fine," I said, bringing my hand up to rest on his face.

"What if he never wants to talk to me again?" he asked, his brows furrowing together in worry.

I just sighed, propping myself up a bit so that I could look at him better.

"Darry, stop that," I said firmly. "I'm sure that Ponyboy realizes that you didn't mean to hit him," I said.

"But…"

"No buts," I said pointedly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, closing his eyes with a sigh.

"I promise, when he comes back, we're going to get this straightened out," I told him, my fingertips brushing his cheek, before sliding down his jaw.

He chuckled after a moment, opening his eyes to stare up at me. He then reached up, placing a hand on the back of my head. A moment later, he was pulling me down, placing a kiss to my lips. I had expected this much, even though my cheeks were then painted a light pink.

"Perhaps we should get some sleep," I suggested, feeling him pull me to him as he laid there, leaving me laying on top of him.

"Perhaps," he nodded, keeping me where I was in his arms.

"I'm gonna be stuck like this all night, aren't I?" I asked.

"That was the plan," he chuckled.

"Well, then you'd better hope that I don't have to get up in the middle of that night to pee," I laughed.

"If you do, then you're just going to have to hold it."

I stuck my tongue out at him at this, before setting my head down and snuggling in his arms. After that, it took no time at all before my eyes grew heavy, his warmth lulling me to sleep.

**Yay! Chapter 26 is finally done! I hope that everyone liked it? I gave Darry and Abigail a few more intimate moments to that their minds off of thinks. Please don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, ideas, opinions, and feelings on this chapter/story. I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK on this. It helps me write. Also, with the help of a friend, GreaserGirlie, I'll be starting another OUTSIDERS story. This one will be for Dally. Don't worry though, I won't forget about this story.**


	27. Ch 27: The Call

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 27**

**The Call**

As the hours ticked by, so did the days. Like always, nothing really seemed to change or make a difference, we just went on with our lives. Darry would go to work and so would I. As long as he was able, Darry would come and pick me up from work. If he couldn't, I'd just walk home, taking my time to stare at the clouds.

Today was different though as I was still stuck at work, the day coming closer to an end little by little. It was Friday, meaning that we had plenty of business, Soc and Greaser alike. That was the thing with Joe's place. He was a Soc, so others were bound to come, whether I liked it or not. Food was food though, customers were customers, that was the only thing that didn't change. I kept this thought in mind as I continued to serve, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. To say that I was tired was an understatement, but I ignored it, sitting down a couple plates in front of a set of customers.

"Here you go, two burgers and fries. Enjoy," I smiled, bowing my head, before walking off behind the counter.

T

Two hours later, the phone was ringing, leaving me to answer it.

"Joe's Diner, Abigail speaking, how may I help you?" I said automatically.

"Abigail, it's Darry," I heard on the other end.

"Darry? What's wrong?" I asked, my brows furrowing together.

"It's Ponyboy," he said frantically.

"What? What happened?"

"He's at the hospital, the cops just called me," he said.

"What?"I cried.

"Look, I'm coming to get you right now, so get ready," he told me.

"Alright, I'll meet you at the corner," I said quickly, hanging up the phone. "Oh my God," I groaned, pulling at my hair.

Dally had told me that they were safe and here I go getting a call from Darry that Pony's in the hospital. I was going to strangle that guy when I got my hands on him.

"Joe, I have to go, it's an emergency," I said quickly, pulling my apron off and tossing it under the counter.

"Why, what's wrong?" he asked.

"It's Ponyboy. Something happened. I don't know, but I just got a call that he's in the hospital," I said, grabbing my jacket and pulling it on. "I'm really sorry about this, but I have to go," I told him, running out of the diner and down the street.

I nearly tripped over my feet as I ran down the street, dodging a car at the stop sign because the idiot didn't feel like stopping or watching what he was doing.

"This kid is going to be the death of me," I exclaimed, catching myself at the light pole.

I could see Darry's truck flying at the end of the street, pulling to a stop at the corner. I made quick work in getting to the truck. The moment I got to the door, Soda got out and allowed me in next to Darry, getting back in his own self next to me. Eden wasn't here, but I wasn't going to worry about that right now. I'd deal with it later when we were all back at home.

From there, we drove toward the hospital, Darry's nerves on edge as he kept his eyes glued to the rode.

"It'll be alright," I whispered, taking his right hand in my left one, giving it a squeeze.

"I hope so," he sighed.

T

Once we were parked, we all piled out of the truck, making our way inside through the front doors. Darry was the first one to the desk, placing his hands down on the edge.

"How may I help you?" the nurse asked, turning to face us.

"We're lookin for Ponyboy Curtis," Darry said quickly, trying to calm his nerves.

"Ponyboy Curtis," she breathed, looking through her papers.

After a moment, she nodded her head.

"He's upstairs, in the burn unit, third floor," she announced.

"Burn unit?" I choked out.

"Yes," she nodded. "Now, if you just go down that hallway, then you'll find the elevators. They'll take you up to the third floor," she said.

"Come on, Darry, let's go," I said, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the elevators.

Soda followed right behind us, eyes shifting around the place. Mine were doing the same, but I had a reason for it. I hated hospitals. Even worse, someone I knew was in here.

As soon as we were in front of the elevator, Soda pressed the button, the elevator coming down a few moments later with a ding. We all piled inside after that, Soda moving to press the button once more. I watched as the doors slid closed, my hand interlocked with Darry's. All that I could do was hope and pray that Ponyboy was alright. If not, I wasn't sure what Darry would do. He'd likely fall apart if anything happened to that kid.

"Well, here we go," I said, feeling the elevator come to a tugging stop.

I exchanged glances with the two as the doors opened, Soda stepping out into the hallway. The moment he walked out, Ponyboy was running forward, wrapping his arm around his brother. I could feel myself let out a sigh of relief as I watched this, standing beside Darry.

"Oh, look at your tough hair," Soda said, pulling slightly at Ponyboy's hair, his voice nearly ready to break.

I couldn't help, but to let a small smile form on my face as I watched. We were so worried that he'd been hurt, yet here he was, perfectly safe. Granted, he had black smudges all over him, but still. Ponyboy then turned around to look at Darry, his eyes watering.

"What?" Darry asked, wiping his hands on his pants for a moment in a nervous manner.

"Darry, I'm sorry," Ponyboy cried, running forward and throwing his arms around him.

I just stood there and watched, my eyes watering a bit. I was happy for them, they were back together.

"I thought we'd lost you like we did mom and dad," Darry cried, holding his brother close.

I had to place a hand over my mouth as I stood there, eyes blinking back tears. I'd never seen Darry like this before and if I had to take a guess, it'd been a long time since he'd been this upset. I felt for him, I really did. I knew what it was like to lose someone. If I ever lost Eden, I'd fall apart my own self and I doubted that I'd ever be able to recover.

"You sure look funny," Darry sniffed, ruffling his hair a bit.

He was trying to lighten the mood a bit now and that made me smile. After a few more moments, Ponyboy finally turned toward me, finally taking in the fact that I was there too. I just smiled, my eyes still a bit watery. Before I knew it, his arms were around me, hugging me tightly.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen," he cried quietly.

I just wrapped my arms around him, placing my hand on the back of his head.

"It's alright kid, we all make mistakes," I said softly.

"I never should have run off," he choked out.

I could feel tears wetting my shirt as he cried, his body shaking. Darry then came over, joining me in wrapping his arms around me, same with Soda. It was like we were one big family with me stuck in the middle with Ponyboy.

T

After about a hour, Dally's room was free for one of us to go in, but I was the only one that seemed to want to talk to him. At this point, the others just wanted to get home. Ponyboy was more worried about Johnny though than anything else, still sitting and waiting to hear his current condition.

"Knock, knock," I called, knocking lightly on the door frame as I came to stand in the doorway of Dally's room.

He just sat up on the bed giving me a tired look as though my antics weren't necessary.

"You can come in you know," he scoffed, folding his arms.

I just shook my head at this, walking forward toward the bed.

"You know, I should be smacking you right now," I said flatly, raising an eyebrow at him. "You said that they would be safe."

"Yeah, well, I didn't expect Pony to go play Superman," he snorted. "He just had to go in there and get those kids," he groaned.

"And apparently, you did the same," I pointed out, noticing the wrapped burns on his arm and leg.

"Yeah, and I got all this in return," he grumbled, lifting up the sheet to expose his other burns.

I could feel my cheeks heating up at the sight of him in his underwear, turning my eyes elsewhere.

"I _really_ didn't need to see that," I choked out, placing a hand over my eyes afterward.

He just grinned though, sitting up in his bed.

"Aw, it can't be that bad," he chuckled, teasing me.

I just grew redder at this, trying my best not to look at him.

"Could you please put the sheet back on?" I pleaded.

"It's not like you haven't seen something like this before," he laughed.

I nearly glared at him for that one. The mere fact that he was insinuating something like that. What was worse was the fact I knew he was referring to Darry, making me want to smack him in the back of the head, while at the same time making my face go red.

"You just don't know how to shut up, do you Winston?"

"Nope," he grinned.

I rolled my eyes at him, before walking forward and grabbing the sheet. I then tossed it back over him.

"I'll give you a cigarette just to keep the sheet on," I said, watching as he scrunched his nose up, before tearing the sheet off again. "You just love making me feel uncomfortable, don't you?" I asked, folding my arms over my chest.

He easily met my gaze at this, folding his arms over his chest as well.

"Don't you know it Princess."

"You're terrible," I stated, walking back toward the door and glancing down the hallway.

From where I stood, I could see Ponyboy falling asleep in his chair, his head falling against Sodapop's shoulder. The kid did seem to care that much though, merely wrapping an arm around his brother's shoulders.

"Look, if you need me call me, alright?" I asked, turning to look at him.

"Yeah, alright," he nodded, moving to lay back down on the bed.

"I mean it Dallas, don't hesitates."

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, laying his head back.

"I'll see you later Dal," I said, moving to leave.

"Bring me a pack of cigarettes man," he called after me.

"Tomorrow," I promised, walking out of the room and back into the hallway.

I walked back over toward the guys, placing a hand on Darry's shoulder, causing him to look up at me form his seat.

"You ready to go?" I asked, looking over at Ponyboy after a moment.

"Yeah," Darry nodded, standing up from his chair.

At this point, he was looking down at me, a tired smile on his face.

"Pony, let's go," Darry said, kicking the bottom of the kid's foot lightly.

He jumped when Darry did this, shaking himself awake.

"Huh?"

"Let's go kid, you need some sleep," I said, placing a hand on top of his head.

He nodded after a moment, slowly standing up from his seat. I wrapped an arm around him after that, pulling him close as we all walked down the hallway toward the elevator. The poor kid nearly fell asleep standing, leaning his head against my shoulder tiredly. He was exhausted, that much was obvious.

I rubbed his arm as we made our way downstairs, hearing him let out a yawn. Once we were downstairs, we guided him outside to the truck, all of us piling inside like before. Although, this time, I was left sitting in Soda's lap. He had a grin on his face as we pulled out of the parking lot, wrapping his arms around me.

"So this is what I've been missing," he chuckled, holding me close, his chin coming to rest upon my shoulder.

"Don't make me reach over there," Darry warned half heartedly.

I just laughed at this, shaking my head. Boys would be boys I guess, but they were my boys.

T

Once we got home, Darry carried Ponyboy inside, Soda opening the door to the house. I merely closed it behind us as Darry carried him upstairs to his room, Soda following after. It made me smile as I walked up the stairs, pushing the door open to Darry's room.

"Things are finally back to normal," I whispered, slowly walking over the bed and falling down on it.

I crawled up onto one of the pillows, laying my head down. Darry came in a few minutes later, closing the door behind him. He had small smile on his face as he looked over at me, slowly making his way toward me. There was a certain shine in his eyes as slid onto the bed beside me, kicking his shoes off.

"He's back," he whispered.

"I know," I breathed, placing a hand on his cheek.

He closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of my touch, before moving just a bit closer. His arms found their way around me, pulling me flush against him, my body pressing against his. He just held me close, finally allowing a few tears to fall. He'd be trying to stay strong the whole night and now he was finally letting it out. I merely ran a hand through his hair as well laid there, trying my best to sooth his nerves.

"I swear, if something had happened to him," he started.

I cut him off though, placing a finger to his lips.

"But it didn't," I said, my hand stroking is cheek softly. "He's fine now," I told him, resting my head beneath his chin.

"I know..." he whispered, reaching his hand up and raking it through my hair, burying it within my dark locks. "What would I do without you?" he asked, nuzzling his cheek lightly against the top of my head.

"I don't know, probably go insane?" I laughed softly, snuggling against him.

I could feel him chuckle, his chest rumbling. This made me smile as I closed my eyes, taking in a steady breath of air.

"I love you," he whispered, his other hand running up and down my back lightly, relaxing me.

"I love you too," I replied, my hand curling around his shirt.

I could feel myself dozing off as I laid there with him, his hand continuing to run up and down the skin of my back, lulling me to sleep. Before I knew it, I fell into a peaceful darkness, my mind exploding into a colorful dream.

**Okay, that was chapter 27! I hope that everyone liked it? Please, let me know what you think? Don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, ideas, opinions, and feelings on this chapter/story. I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK. Thanks everyone! :)**


	28. Ch 28: Getting An Eye Full

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 28**

**Getting An Eyefull**

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of food cooking downstairs.

"Mmm…" I groaned, turning a bit on the bed.

I could feel the warmth beneath me as I laid there, pealing my eyes open to find Darry still laying there, his arm draped over me. We must have moved a bit during the night because we were on our side now, my face buried against his chest. I curled up against him a bit more, feeling him move a bit. He opened his eyes a moment later, rubbing them with a yawn.

"Mornin," I yawned.

"Mornin," he nodded, stretching his arms out above his head as he fell over onto his back.

I just laid there a bit longer, keeping my head on top of his chest.

"Who's down there cookin?" he asked, brows furrowing together slightly.

"I don't know," I shrugged, feeling his hand come down to rest against my back like he had done last night.

I wanted so much just to fall back asleep, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't fall asleep. Even with the soothing feeling of Darry's hand running up and down my back.

"That feels nice," I whispered.

"I bet it does," he chuckled, letting his hand trail over my side ever so lightly.

I giggled when he did this, twitching a bit. He wasn't the only one with ticklish sides. If you hit mine just right, I'll go into a fit of laughter.

"Come on, let's get up and get some food," he said, sitting up regardless of my protests.

After a couple minutes of pointless protests, we were both up out of bed. I went downstairs first, leaving Darry to change, a yawn escaping my lips once at the bottom, walking into the kitchen. I found Ponyboy standing there over the stove cooking.

"Hey there kid," I greeted, stretching my arms over my head with another yawn.

He gave me a smile, turning back to his cooking a moment later.

"Hey."

"Is Eden up yet?" I asked, biting back a yawn without much luck.

"Yeah. She went back upstairs though," he told me, flipping the eggs over in the skillet.

Nodded my head after that, walking over to the table and grabbing a biscuit from the bowl. I never would have pegged Ponyboy as the type that knew how to cook. Perhaps he had picked it up from his parents like Darry had. I stepped out back for a moment, an arm around my stomach as I bit into the biscuit. It was a bit chilly, but it still felt nice I guess. A couple minutes later, I heard a commotion inside, making my back in. It was Steve and Two-Bit that were causing trouble, Ponyboy picking things up off of the floor. Steve was poking fun at him for his hair, waving a newspaper around and Two-Bit had a beer in his hands.

"Isn't it a bit early for this?" I asked.

"Ah, there she is," Two-Bit exclaimed, pulling me to him, his arms wrapping around me in a tight bear hug.

"Two-Bit, let go!" I cried, feeling myself being crushed.

Steve just laughed as he watched, earning a glare from me in return.

"Alright, everyone out of the kitchen," I said, pushing them out.

I then cleaned up the mess that they had caused, wiping it up off of the floor.

"How's it feel to be a hero, huh?" I heard Steve ask Ponyboy after a moment.

"A what?"

He had no clue what he was talking about, that, and he sounded a bit annoyed as well.

"A hero, man. Like a…like a big shot even," Steve continued, thumb hook in the rim of his waist band. "Beer for breakfast Two-Bit?" he asked skeptically.

Two-Bit merely ignored him though, taking a drink of his beer. Personally, I didn't know why he was even drinking it this early, and for breakfast no less. I just shook my head though, walking into the dinning room, finding Ponyboy staring down at the paper. I looked over his shoulder, finding three pictures printed on the front. One of him, Johnny, and Dally. Ponyboy's looked like the most recent because it showed off his blond hair. Johnny's was probably his school picture from this year. Although, when I looked at Dally's I knew that it had to be from real early this year, probably at the beginning of the year. His hair was shorter in the picture and that's how I knew.

I tuned out most of what Steve and Two-Bit were saying though as I let my eyes read over some of the print. I didn't look up until I heard Ponyboy mention something about the boys' home.

"We ain't gonna let no one put you or Soda in a boys' home," I told him firmly watching walk into the bathroom.

"They ain't gonna put me in a boys' home," Ponyboy mumbled.

"Ah, hell Ponyboy, they don't do that to heros," Steve said, stuffing his face with chocolate cake.

"You're making a mess Randle," I pointed out, watching bits and pieces fall onto the floor.

"Hey, were is Soda and Superdope anyway?" Steve asked, ignoring me completely.

A moment later, the shower curtain opened, reveal Soda with nothing, but a towel as he tried to cover himself.

"Ponyboy, shut the door," he said.

"Oh! Morning, Mr. Universe," Steve laughed, looking into the bathroom.

I swear, my face went a bit red at this. The last thing I needed to see was an eyefull of Darry's kid brother naked. Darry took my mind off of it though as he came from behind, grabbing Steve around the middle and lifting him up. Steve nearly choked on the piece of cake his was eating, icing now all over his nose.

"Super what?" Darry asked, staring down at him.

Steve just stood back up properly, wiping the corner of his mouth.

"All brawn, no brains," Steve muttered, watching as Darry walked back into the living room.

"Hey, Darry, you seen my DX shirt anywhere?" Soda as walking out of the bathroom, the towel now covering his front fully.

Darry just responded with a no, sitting down and tying his shoes.

"Hey, you gotta wear pants too buddy, you don't get no potential honors," Steve chuckled, putting a piece of cake up in Soda's face.

"What about my jeans?" he asked, pushing Steve's hand away.

"Yeah, I ironed them, they're in my closet," Darry told him, standing back up. "Hey, hurry up, you're gonna be late."

"Darry, you uh, you hear about the juvenile court thing?" Ponyboy asked, walking over to him.

"Yeah, the cops told me last night," Darry nodded, pulling on his button up shirt, his eyes never leaving Pony's.

"Hey, I'll tell you what, after we stomp the Socs real good me and Steve are gonna through a party and everyone's gonna get ripped," Soda said.

"A-Whoo!" Steve howled in agreement, pumping his arm.

I just shook my head at this, picking up another biscuit.

"Neither of you needs to be getting drunk off your ass," I said, pushing a bit of hair out of my face.

"Oh really, you gonna stop us," Steve said playfully, getting up in my face.

I gave him a flat look, pushing him away. Last thing I needed was to be around any of them if they were drunk. Two-Bit was pretty much the same whether he was drunk or not, just slightly more rowdy is all.

"Hey, where you gonna get the dough little man?" Darry asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Ah, I'll think of something," Soda told him.

"Eden, get down here!" I called.

"I'm coming!" was her response.

A moment later, she was coming down the steps, a skeptical look on her face as she looked at everyone.

"We're getting ready to leave, so I want you to stay down here," I told her, moving toward the stairs.

I had to change my shirt before I left for work.

"What are you lookin at pipsqueak?" Steve asked, eyeing Eden.

"What have you been doing, eating mud?" she asked in disgust.

Everyone laughed at this, including me. Eden could be a real spit fire at times when she wanted to be, even more so if she didn't' like somebody. When I came back down though, they were still picking at each other.

"Alright, alright already!" I exclaimed. "You guys are giving me a headache.

"Ponyboy," Darry called, calling his brother back inside.

It was obvious that he wasn't sure on leaving him her by himself. Heck, I wouldn't be so sure either after everything the kid had been look.

"Look, maybe I shouldn't leave you here by yourself, maybe I ought to take the day off," he said, tapping his notepad against his head.

I stood there tucking my shirt in as they talked, keeping my eyes on Darry and Ponyboy. Eden and Steve just kept shoving each other, leaving me about three seconds from smacking both of them in the back of the head.

"Don't worry about it Dar, I'll babysit him," Two-Bit said off-handedly, earning a smack in the back of the head from Ponyboy.

Within seconds, they were both on the floor wrestling, Two-Bit grabbing him in a headlock.

"Two-Bit, lay off," I said, kicking his foot.

"Hey, Soda, we gotta get to work," Steve called, moving Eden out of the way and walking over the two toward the door.

"Two-Bit, lay off, he ain't lookin too good," Darry said firmly.

"Yeah, lay off Two-Bit," Ponyboy groaned, standing up with Darry's help. "Lazy bum," he muttered.

After that, Darry grabbed his tool belt, turning toward Ponyboy.

"Pony, you smoke more than a pack today and I'll skin you, you understand?" he said, walking toward the door.

"Yeah," Ponyboy mumbled tiredly. "You carry more than one bundle of roofin at a time today and me and Soda here will skin you, understand?" he countered, making Darry laugh.

I just shook my head at them, a small smile on my face. Those boys were something else all together, that was for sure.

"Hey, say hi to Johnny," Darry said, before walking out of the house.

"All right," Two-Bit nodded, eyes glued to the TV.

I then turned to the guys for a moment, before locking eyes with Eden.

"Well, I'm gonna get goin. I want you to stay here with Ponyboy and Two-Bit," I said firmly, grabbing my jacket from the chair.

"What?" she exclaimed, eyes slightly wide.

"You heard me. You've been out of the house too much lately. Besides, it won't kill you to hang out with these two for a few hours," I told her, before pushing the door open. "I'll see you guys later. Keep an eye on her you two," I said, before walking down the steps and over to Darry's truck.

She may not like it, but she was just going to have to deal with it.

T

Ponyboy and Two-Bit watched as Eden stuck her tongue out at Abigail's retreating form. She didn't do well with authority and that was obvious.

"Come on now, we won't bite, promise," Two-Bit laughed.

"Oh, I'm not worried about you Two-Bit," she said, before looking over at Ponyboy. "You aren't the one that pulled stupid crap and nearly got yourself killed," she said.

Ponyboy turned around to stare at her for this.

"Yeah, well, it's stupid crap like that that saved your life," he pointed out, moving back toward the kitchen.

She didn't say anything at that point, knowing that he was right. After all, Darry had pulled something similar, stupidly risking his life to save her.

"Shut up," she grumbled, grabbing the last biscuit from the bowl and walking out back.

She didn't go anywhere though, she merely sat on the back step, chewing little bits and pieces off the biscuit. She was more annoyed than anything because everyone had been so upset all week. Then, all of a sudden they got a call telling them that Ponyboy was in the hospital. The stupid kid had been reckless and nearly gotten himself killed. She was so annoyed at him and that was why she hadn't gone with everyone last night. In fact, if the kid hadn't been out cold when they had brought him home, she probably would have smacked him in the back of the head for all his trouble.

"Idiot," she mumbled.

"Hey, Eden, you gonna help us clean up or what?" Ponyboy called from inside the house.

Eden rolled her eyes at this.

"Can't you do it yourself?" she asked, standing up from her spot on the step.

"I'd appreciate it if you helped," he said quietly, placing a few dishes in the sink. "Besides, its about time for the people from the state to check up on us," he said, catching her attention.

That was the last thing that she needed, trouble because of a dirty house. Now that her and Abigail were living with the Curtis' it meant that the state would be checking up on her too the same time that they would for the boys. She could only imagine the grief her sister would get from all of it. Plus, she knew that Abigail would have a fit if Eden ever ended up in a girls' home. So, deciding to suck it up and deal with the two, she walked back inside to help.

T

About a hour later, they were finally done cleaning. The floor had been vacuumed, the dishes washed, the table wiped off, and even the rooms cleaned and straightened. Everything that needed to be done had been done and now they were getting ready to leave and go see Johnny.

"You sure ya don't wanna come?" Two-Bit asked, pulling his leather jacket on.

Eden just shook her head no, grabbing her own jacket from the back of the couch.

"No, I'd rather not see them like that, all burnt up," she said, rubbing her arm. "Could you just drop me off at my friend's house?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure," Ponyboy sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "Come on, let's go Two-Bit."

So, with that they left the house, walking down the street a few blocks to drop Eden off.

T

By the time that one o'clock came around I was throwing my jacket on. It was time for my break, so I was going to spend it at the hospital with Dally as long as he didn't irritate me too much.

"I'll be back in a while," I said, grabbing the little brown bag of food that I'd set out. "I promised my friend that I'd stop by and see him at the hospital," I explained.

"Alright, but don't take too long," Joe chuckled.

"See ya after a while," i called, walking out of the diner.

From there, I headed down the street, making the long trek to the hospital. Although, in reality, it was probably around twelve blocks from here.

"Crap, that reminds me, cigarettes," I reminded myself.

With that in mind, I entered a nearby store, walking up to the counter.

"Excuse me, can I get a pack of cigarettes?" I asked, pulling some money out of my back pocket.

"What kind?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Um," I took a look at the small selection that he had, allowing my eyes to skim over them. "Those ones," I said, pointing to the red pack.

Once that was done he rang them up and I gave him the money. He then placed them in a small paper bag and handed them to me, giving me a small smile.

"Here you go."

"Have a nice day," I said, before walking back out.

Now, I had everything I needed. I could only imagine what the look on Dally's face would be if I forgot his cigarettes. Granted, I didn't like the idea of him smoking or any of the guys for that matter, but it seemed to put him at ease and right now that's what he needed. Johnny on the other hand, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. Apparently, he wasn't doing too good when they brought him in, but I wasn't going to give up on him. I'd help him get through this the best that I could.

T

After about 15 minutes of speed walking, I finally got to the hospital, my breath heaving in and out. Lord, I needed a drink.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for Dallas Winston?" I said, standing in front of the front desk.

The nurse smiled at me for a moment, before checking over her papers.

"Ah, yes, Dallas Winston. He's been moved to the second floor, room 23," she announced.

"Thank you," I said, bowing my head, before walking off toward the elevator.

I swear, I loved elevators. They cut down on the walking. Once I was upstairs, I looked both ways, turning left down the hallway. I counted the rooms off as I walked, until I came to Dally's, knocking on the door.

"I said leave me alone!" he yelled.

I nearly laughed at this, but held it in.

"It's me, Abby. Are you decent this time?" I asked, waiting to push the door open.

"Yes."

I doubted he was telling the truth though, but there was nothing that I could do about it, so I pushed the door open. As expected, he was seated on the bed in his underwear, the sheet on the floor and his legs crossed as he sat there lounging.

"I will never understand you," I said, shaking my head.

He just grinned at me as he sat up, leaning forward a bit.

"You should feel honored, I don't let just any girl see me in my underwear," he laughed.

I just gave him a dry look, before tossing him his cigarette at him, moving to sit down in a chair.

"There's your cigarettes, so shut up," I told him, sitting down in the chair.

"Ah, no kiss?" he pouted.

"Sorry, but no," I said sweetly, biting back a laugh.

It came out before too long though, Dally joining me.

"Anyway, are you hungry?" I asked, pealing open the top of the bag.

"Depends on what ya got man," he said, getting up out of bed and walking toward me.

I sighed, before rolling my eyes.

"Before I leave today, I'm getting you a pair of pants," I said dryly, pulling a sandwich out of the bag and handing it to him.

"Ah, you're too kind, giving me all sorts of things," he chuckled, before sitting back down on the bed.

This time, he actually covered himself up, much to my relief.

"You know, the guys came up and saw me earlier," he said off handedly as he bit into his sandwich.

"So you saw Eden then?" I asked, biting into my own.

"Heck no. I got no clue where that little girl was," he told me, causing me to groan.

"I swear, why can't she just listen to me for once? I told her to stay with Ponyboy and Two-Bit," I voiced, running a hand through my hair.

I don't know why, but she never listens to me.

"Don't seem like she listens much," he commented, taking another bite.

"That's because she doesn't."

If she did, then I wouldn't have nearly as many problems at times. If she followed the rules that I set, then I'd have far less to worry about.

"You seen Johnny yet?" he asked after a bit, finishing what was left of his sandwich.

"No...not yet," I said quietly, placing my food down.

I was afraid to see what I'd find upon seeing him, afraid what it might do to me. He was such a good kid and now he had to go through this.

"He doesn't deserve this," I whispered.

"Yeah and I'll kill 'em if they ever pull a stunt like that again," Dally said pointedly, obviously annoyed at the two of them for doing what they did.

"They did a good thing though," I said quietly, chancing a glance at him.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't have," he told me, tossing his wrapper in the trashcan.

"You went in there after them though and helped," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but that's because I would o' gotten my head kicked in by you Darrel if I hadn't," he said.

"Bull crap. You did it because you care about those two and because you knew it was the right thing," I said, pointing a finger at him.

"Yeah, whatever," he scoffed.

"Well, if you're going to be like that, then I guess I'll just take the pie and leave," I shrugged, standing up from my chair.

"Wait, you brought pie?" he asked.

"Yes," I nodded, trying to hide the smile on my face.

I knew that would get his attention, it always got the guys' attention whenever I brought any home.

"Give it here," he demanded, holding his hand out.

"Say please."

"Hell no!"

"Fine, then no pie," I told him, walking over to the door.

"Alright, alright, can I _please_ have some pie?" he asked.

"Yes you may."

With that, I handed it over, giving him a plastic fork.

"Just don't give the nurses too much trouble?" I asked, knowing the response that was coming.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll be a freaking angel man," he laughed, stuffing a piece of pie in his mouth.

"Yeah right," I laughed. "Anyway, I'll be back in a minute, then I'm gonna check on Johnny," I said, leaving the paper bag sitting at the food of the bed.

I then walked out of the room and down to the elevator, taking it back down to the first floor. After that, I located the gift shop, happy when I saw that they sold your standard pants and shirts.

"He's gonna have a hard time explaining this now," I laughed, taking them up to the register.

The lady there gave me a bored look as I placed the jeans on the counter.

"Will that be all for you today?" she asked, raking the jeans toward her.

"Yes, that's it," I nodded, once again pulling money from my back pocket.

"That'll be $9.99," she said, holding her hand out expectantly.

I didn't say anything though as I placed the ten dollar bill in her hand, grabbing the jeans afterward.

"Keep the change," I told her, walking out of the gift shop with the jeans folded over my arm.

I swear, some people just don't care for their jobs very much. I mean a job like that, I'd take in a second. At least that girl got paid minimum wage. I got less than that because I worked as a waitress at Joe's. Granted, he still paid me more than anyone else because of how long I'd been working for him and my loyalty, but still. For now though, that was the only job that I had. If I needed to, then I'd take on a second, but right now that wasn't necessary.

"Alright, I'm back, and now you have no excuses," I told him, tossing the pants at him.

"I hope you got the right size," he teased.

"Oh, I'm sure they'll fit your narrow behind," I said. "So next time I see you, you better be covered."

"Yeah, whatever Princess," he chuckled, get up and slipping them on in front of me.

I just rolled my eyes as I turned back to the door, stopping to look back at him as he zipped them up.

"Call me later, alright?"

"Yeah, sure. Now, get outta here man, before I kick you out," he smirked, before sitting back on his bed and pulled a cigarette out.

"Oh yeah," I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out a little match book. "You'll be needing these," I finished, tossing them his way.

"Thanks," he nodded, a small smile on his face.

"See ya later Dal," I called, walking out.

"Yeah, see ya."

After closing his door, I walked down to the nurse's station.

"Um, excuse me, could you tell me where Johnny Cade's room is?" I asked politely.

"Why certainly, he's up on the next floor in room six," she said, a smile on her face.

"Thank you very much ma'am," I replied, making my way over to the elevator and up onto the next floor. "Okay, room six," I voiced out loud, looking around.

It wasn't very hard to find it, but it was hard to enter. I could see from the doorway the shape that he was in and he didn't look good.

"Johnny?" I called softly, slowly walking inside.

"Abby?" he croaked.

His voice sounded scratchy, kind of like sandpaper. It didn't surprise me though with the amount of smoke he'd inhaled.

"How ya doin kid?" I asked, trying my best to put on a smile for him.

"Could be better," he said tiredly.

"You're gonna get through this, alright?" I said softly, placing a hand of top of his head and smoothing out his hair.

It seemed to put him at ease, so I kept at it for about several minutes, until he fell back asleep. I could feel tears in my eyes as I stood there. I wished that I could have talked to him a bit more, but I knew he was exhausted.

"I guess I'll see you later kid," I whispered, leaning down and pressing a kiss to his forehead. "See ya..."

It was hard to walk out like that, but I had to. I had to return to work. Even with that though, I felt like going back to Dally's room and sitting there for a couple hours, just to get my mind off of things. Even if we didn't talk much, I still felt comfortable around him. Yes, Dally may be a hardcore hood at times, but he was still my friend.

"I just wanna go home," I groaned, raking a hand through my hair. "I just wanna go home..."

**Yay! Chapter 28 is up and out. I hope that everyone enjoyed it? Watch the movie to see Soda like Abigail did. XD Anyway, please REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, ideas, opinions, and feelings on this chapter/story. I'd LOVE to hear FEEDBACK on this one. Also, everyone MESSAGE me with what you would like to see in the story? It'll give me ideas. Also, for the record, I am NOT killing off Dally and Johnny. I repeat, I am NOT killing off Dally and Johnny! So no worries. :) Thanks everyone! If I'm lucky, chapter 29 might be up the day after tomorrow. I doubt it will be up tomorrow, but you never know. It depends on how tired I am tomorrow after the four hour trip home in the car. XD**


	29. Ch 29: Paranoia Before A Rumble

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 29**

**Paranoia Before A Rumble**

That evening, Darry had to work later so I decided to walk home, my jacket over my shoulders and a bag of food in my hands. I had gotten so used to the rides to and from work that now it seemed strange almost, walking home like this. It didn't really bother me much though since I really had nothing to worry about. All the big Socs would be getting ready for the rumble tonight, just like Darry and the others. I'd even heard from him that Tim Shepard's gang was going to help out, helping to even the odds as much as possible. To be honest though, I wish that they didn't have to do this at all, but it was to keep them off of our turf. After all, if it hadn't been for them, then Johnny wouldn't be where he was right now. If it weren't for them, then none of this would have ever happened to begin with.

As I kept walking though, I got this strange feeling that I was being followed. I wasn't sure why though because every time that I looked back no one was there. If there was, then they were walking in the other direction or something else. I had no explanation for it, but after a while, it was really starting to freak me out. I even went as far as to walking inside a store, _browsing_ for a few minutes, before going back outside just to make sure. It didn't do me much good though because it started right back up once I exited the store.

"Okay, this is really starting to get annoying," I muttered, quickly walking down a nearby street.

If I had to, I'd end up going a whole different route completely if necessary.

No matter what I did, no matter how many turns and back alley ways I took, nothing seemed to work. Whoever it was was definitely quick and good at hiding, that was for sure.

T

The moment I got to the house I hurried inside and locked the door. I wasn't going to take any chances with whoever it was that had been following me.

"Two-Bit? Ponyboy?" I called, walking through the house.

As expected, I got no reply, making me sigh in annoyance. Last thing I needed was to be here by myself with the possibility that someone had followed me home. The whole situation just made me more paranoid.

"They had better get home soon."

T

It had been around six o'clock when everyone finally started getting home, putting my nerves at ease. Although, that didn't mean that it made things any easier in trying to explain things. In fact, I hadn't even been sure on whether or not to say anything. A distraction like that was the last thing any of the guys needed.

"Hey, Two-Bit, where's Eden?" I asked, walking out of the kitchen.

He was sitting in the armchair with a beer in his hand, watching Steve and Soda mess around playing cards at the table. Ponyboy was over on the couch though, while Darry was busy doing pushups in the middle of the living room floor. I'd say that this was the first time I'd ever seen Darry working out in the house like this.

"Don't worry, she's over at a friends house. We dropped her off earlier," he told me.

"Wonderful," I sighed. "And why is it that she couldn't stay with you guys like I asked earlier?"

"I don't know, I guess she just didn't feel that comfortable with the idea of going down to the hospital," Two-Bit said with a shrug.

"Lovely..."

I'd have to talk to her about that later, but for now, I had to talk to Darry.

"Hey, Darry?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" I asked, gesturing toward the back.

"Yeah, sure," he nodded, before pushing himself up off the floor and walking out back with me. "What's wrong?" he asked.

I stood there for a moment, wrapping my arms loosely around my self. I wasn't exactly sure where to begin though. I just hoped that he didn't think that I was crazy.

"Would you believe me if I told you I thought I was being followed earlier?" I asked, turning to face him.

"Followed?" his brows furrowed together for a moment. "When?"

"It was when I was on my way home," I told him, scratching the back of my neck. "I didn't see anyone though, but it still felt like someone was following me," I explained.

"You're sure?" he asked, hoping maybe it was just me being paraniod.

"Positive."

"How far did they follow you?" he asked warily.

"All the way home."

He groaned upon hearing my words, but that was to be expected. We didn't need anymore trouble, yet now there was a possibility for something to happen.

"You sure you didn't see who it was?" he asked.

"Unfortunately, no. Whoever it was kept their distance enough so that I wouldn't catch them."

"I have a feeling that we're going to have to start locking the doors," he said, obviously not happy with the whole thing.

"Or a dog?" I suggested, earning a chuckle in return.

"You know, you're not the only one to suggest something like that," he chuckled.

"Really now?"

"Ponyboy brought it up to my parents a couple years ago. We just never really got around to it though," he told me.

"Well, maybe it's time for a change then," I said, a small smile on my face.

"Perhaps," he nodded, moving closer a moment later.

Before I could stop him, he had his arms wrapped around me, pulling me against his bare chest.

"Ugh! You're all sweaty," I cried, pushing against him.

It did me little good though because how much stronger he was than me. Although, it didn't exactly bother me that much, even though I knew he was doing it on purpose.

"It can't be that bad," he chuckled, wrapping his arm around my neck a moment later.

"Okay, now _that_ is nasty," I groaned, trying to pull away.

The last thing that I wanted was to have my head stuck in his sweaty armpit. Luckily, he let go after a moment, allowing me to pull away. I smacked his arm after that though, wiping the back of my neck off.

"Remember, I know where you sleep," I said, hinting a warning threat.

"As do I," he countered.

"I can always sleep on the couch," I pointed out. "Or I could just kick you out of the room," I told him.

"I'd like to see you try."

"Dang it!" I exclaimed, before shoving him in the back. "Alright, back inside with you," I commanded, pushing as hard as I could.

He could have stayed exactly where he was, but I suppose that he decided to humor me, moving forward toward the door.

"I hope I don't bruise," he teased, earning a sharp smack in the back of the head.

He just laughed though as if it didn't even hurt. Truly, I knew that it didn't. Besides, it's not like I was actually trying to hurt him or anything anyway. I just got annoyed some times at the constant teasing. Thankfully, he wasn't too bad about it though. Steve and Dally were probably the worse and I wouldn't put it passed Two-Bit to join in either. Two-Bit seemed to know his limits though for my sake.

"Inside," I pushed, continuing to shove him toward the door.

Once we were inside, we could hear the others talking, Ponyboy asking something about shaving. I caught Soda saying something about Darry starting at 13, making me laugh a bit.

"Man you grew up quick," I teased.

"Do you really wanna go there?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sure it can wait til later," I said, going and sitting down in his chair.

"Why, you figurin on growin a beard for the rumble?" Soda asked.

"Oh, you're funny," Ponyboy scoffed. "We ought to send you in to _readers_ _digest_ or something, I hear they pay a lot of money for funny things," he said, coming to stand about a foot from the table. "You like fights, huh Soda?" Ponyboy asked.

"Yeah, I like fights, man."

"How come?" Ponyboy asked, giving him a curious look.

"It's a contest. It's like a drag race or dance or somethin like that," he grunted, trying his best to beat Steve at arm wrestling.

"We gonna beat those Socs heads anyway. When I get in a fight I like to stomp the lot too," Steve exclaimed, putting more pressure on Soda's arm, until finally he folded and Steve won.

"How come you like fights Darry?" Ponyboy asked, turning toward his eldest brother.

Before Darry could say anything though, Soda butted in.

"He likes to show of his muscles," Soda laughed, a cheeky grin on his face, earning a laugh from Ponyboy.

"Hey, I'm gonna show 'em off on you little buddy if you get any mouthier," Darry warned, pulling his shirt on over his head.

After that, he unzipped his pants and tucked his shirt in like he always does, making sure to go all the way around. He then buttoned them and zipped them back up, fixing his belt afterward, before rolling the sleeves of his shirt up a bit.

"You could always show 'em off on Abigail," Soda said off handedly, before standing up.

"Careful kid, otherwise, you'll have both of us after you," I told him, tucking the tag on Darry's shirt in.

I swear, he always seemed to loved wearing those tight black shirts of his. What I didn't understand though was why he was wearing one of his nice black ones to the rumble. That was neither here nor there though.

"Hey, Pony, uh, I don't know if you ought to be in this rumble," Darry said.

"How come?" he asked curiously. "I always came through before ain't I?"

It was obvious that he didn't look that good. Even this morning I had noticed that. He just looked worse right now is all, sweat covering his face and neck. He pulled at the collar of his shirt, before speaking, his voice a bit scratchy.

"Yeah, but you was in shape before and I," he paused for a moment, trying to place his words. "You just ain't lookin so good," he said. "You're just tensed up all the time, you know?"

"Come on Darry, let him fight. Everyone's tensed up before a rumble," Soda offered. "It's skin against skin. He ain't gonna get hurt, is he?" he said, clapping him on the back.

"Come on, I'll grab hold of a little one," Pony said.

"Well, we _will_ need every man we can get," Darry started, thinking it over. "But I don't know."

"Look, if it was knives and chains or somethin it'd be different," he told him. "I'll be okay."

"Alright, but you be careful, okay?" Darry told him.

"How come you never worry about him as much?" Ponyboy asked, looking over at Soda.

"Man, that's one kid brother I ain't gotta worry about," Darry said, wrapping his arm around Soda's neck. "Least for one thing to grow hair on," Darry said, grabbing Soda in a headlock, and grinding his knuckles against the top of his head.

"What are you doing!" Soda cried.

After that, Darry ran out the door before I could even say anything, Soda chasing after him in an attempt to get even. This made me smile as I watched them run out, everyone laughing cheerfully, so full of energy. I also watched as Darry ran over to the fence, grabbing hold of it and using his strength and momentum to push himself into a handstand. He was able to balance himself enough to turn around and land on the ground perfectly. I never knew that he was that athletic, at least not to that extent. He had done it with the strength and grace of a gymnist.

"Darry!" I called out, watching him turn around to smile at me.

I ran over to the fence and grabbed his hand, holding it close.

"Be careful?" I pleaded.

He just smiled, before placing his other hand on my cheek, drawing me closer.

"I promise," he breathed, pressing a kiss to my forehead, ruffling my hair afterward.

He then turned around to find the others staring and Steve up on the hood of his truck.

"Save the romance for after the fight," Soda laughed.

"Hey, get off my truck," Darry said, watching as Steve did a back flip off of it, actually managing to land this time without hitting his head on anything. "Let's go!" Darry said, before moving quickly down the street with the others.

That was my cue to head back in, closing the door behind me and locking it. I wasn't taking any chances tonight.

"Hello, can you connect me to Dallas Winston's room, please?" I asked, dialing the hospital.

T

"How ya doin Tim," Darry greeted, coming to stand before Shepard's gang.

"Pretty good," he replied, before turning his head to look at Ponyboy. "You and the quiet kid are the ones that killed the Soc, right?" he asked.

Ponyboy just nodded his head in response.

"Good goin kid. Curly always said you were a good kid," Tim commented. "Curly's in a reformatory for the next six months," he added, turning his eyes back toward Darry.

Shortly after, cars started pulling up one by one, Socs piling out.

"Hey, Greasers!"

T

"What do you mean you can't find him?" I asked.

T

Everyone started lining up, Soc and Greaser a like, drunk and sober. Some Socs were even falling over because they were so drunk.

"Hello Darrel, long time no see," Paul said, coming to stand before Darry, his hands stuffed in the jockets of his football jersey.

"Hello Paul," Darry greeted, his tone neutral as he stood there, his arms folded over his chest.

"You know, I haven't paid Abby a visit in a while," he said absently.

"I think it's best you keep it that way," Darry told him.

Paul merely smirked, before wiping his hands on his pants.

"The things I'd love to do with that girl," he breathed.

Darry stood his ground, trying to hide the look of disgust on his face. If it weren't for the fact that they were trying to hold the fight off just a bit longer, he would have already hit the guy. He never did take lightly to comments like that being made about Abigail or any woman for that matter, especially his.

"Sorry to put a damper on your night, but she's off the market," Darry told him.

"We'll see about that."

T

"He's got to be there somewhere," I said.

"I'm sorry miss, but the only thing we found was his hospital bracelet," she explained.

That's when it hit me. The rumble.

"Damn it Winston!" I hissed.

T

All that it took was one outburst as Dallas Winston came barreling through the trees yelling. One outburst from a stubborn Greaser and the Socs struck.

**Yay! Chapter 29. I didn't think I'd be able to get it up tonight, but I managed. I bet you're all wondering who the mysterious stalker is? Well, that person will show up soon. Abigail is in for a world of trouble. Anyway, please REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story. I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK! It helps me write and keeps me happy. Anyway, thanks everyone!**


	30. Ch 30: Wish I Had A Bullet

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 30**

**Wish I Had A Bullet**

As the hour passed, I started to get worried, wondering if something had gone wrong. All that I could do was pray that they were okay, pacing back and forth through the living room.

"Come on," I baited, drawing in an intake of breath.

It was then that I heard that the gate outside, quickly making my way over to the window and looking out the blinds.

"Oh my..." I felt my breath catch in my throat, quickly unlocking the door and throwing it open.

They all stood there, bruised and battered. Steve was the worst though, looking as if his lip had been spilt open. Not busted like Darry's, but actually split open. He was also limping up the stairs, his face twitching with pain.

"My God..." I whispered, moving out of the way to let them inside.

Darry gave me a nervous grin as he went over and sat down in his chair, resting his back.

I just shook my head though as I stood there, running a hand through my hair. This was exactly what I _didn't_ want happening.

"All of you, just...just sit down," I sighed, walking off to grab the first-aid kit, along with a bowl full of water and a couple rags.

I couldn't believe I'd be fixing everyone up.

When I walked back into the living room, I found Steve laying there on the couch, Soda and Two-Bit merely sitting on the floor. Soda was facing Steve, while Two-Bit was leaned up against the wall by the TV with a pillow behind his back.

"You guys look like hell," I pointed out.

"Feel like hell," Two-Bit groaned, rolling his shoulders.

"Here," I sighed, handing him a beer.

"Thanks babe," he grinned, eagerly taking it from my hand and taking a swig.

I just shook my head, before turning to Darry. He just sat there flexing his hand, occasionally pressing his tongue against the inside corner of his mouth below his lip.

"You're lucky that you look better off than Steve," I told him, kneeling down to examine his hand. "How in the world did you manage to tear your hand up so bad?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

It looked like someone had taken a cheese grater to the top of his hand, leaving it nice and bloodied.

"Paul has sharp teeth," he chuckled, scratching the back of his neck.

"Oh, great, no wonder."

"Definitely made me feel better though," he mused, making me curious.

"Why?"

"Let's just say he needs to learn some manners when it comes to talking about women," he told me, making me pale.

I had a pretty good idea what that meant and it made me sick to my stomach.

"Bastard," I muttered, before taking his face in my hands and looking him over.

I touched his lip tentatively, being careful of the amount of pressure. He wince slightly, but that was about it.

"I'm just glad that you're okay," I whispered, pressing my lips lightly to his.

I then pulled back, wetting the rag and cleaning his hand of the blood. It took me a couple minutes to clean it up though because it kept bleeding, leaving me pressing the rag against his hand. After it finally stopped bleeding freely, I grabbed a cotton ball, soaking it with peroxide. I then pressed it to his hand, dabbing at it lightly, watching as his hand twitched.

"I'll take care of this, you take a look at him," Darry said, gesturing toward Steve.

"Alright," I nodded, standing up and moving over toward the couch.

Steve just continued to lay there, one of his eyes trying to swell shut while he bleed freely from his nose and lip.

"Man, you look like crap," I said, sitting down next to him.

He tried to smile, but it didn't do him much good.

"That reminds me, where's Ponyboy?" I asked, looking around at everyone.

"I think Dally took him to the hospital," Darry said, cleaning his hand up.

I sighed at this, trying not to think about it as I took Steve's face in my hands, gently turning his head to the side. He looked terrible and that was putting it nicely.

"I swear, if I ever catch you guys doing something like this again, I'm gonna kick all your heads in," I said pointedly.

"Even Darry?" Soda asked, chancing a glance over at Darry.

"Even Darry," I nodded, staring over at the man just to get my point across.

"Man, I'd like to see that one?" Steve chuckled, wincing afterward.

"Stay still," I told him, taking the other rag and wiping his face.

He groaned as I did this, trying to pull away. I wouldn't let him though, keeping him where he was.

"Just to let you know, you're probably going to need a couple stitches," I said, being careful with his lip.

"I think it makes me look tough," he mumbled.

"It makes you look a mess," I said flatly.

"What do you think Soda, you think it makes me look tough?" Steve asked, leaning his head back as he closed his eyes.

"I think it makes you look different," Soda replied.

"What do ya mean by _different_?"

"Ya got a hole in your mouth," Soda told him, touching his touch after a moment.

"Leave it alone Soda. If you're gonna mess with it, go get some ice," I told him, not wanting him to irritate his still swelling cheek. "In fact, I think that all of you need ice. Especially, you Steve," I said, lifting his chin up after a moment to take one last look.

I'd gotten all the blood off his face, but he was still pretty bruised up, his eye still trying to swell closed. If something wasn't done soon, then he likely wouldn't be able to see out of his left eye for a while.

"Okay, I'm gonna grab some ice, so stay put," I said, standing up from the couch and walking into the kitchen.

I opened up the freezer and pulled out one of the ice trays, dumping half of it into one of the dish towels. I then walked back into the living room and placed it on top of his eye, telling him to hold it there.

"Alright, your turn Soda," I said, sitting down in front of him.

Just like I'd done for the other two, I took hold of his face, holding it gently in my hands. He didn't look too bad, but he still had a cut above his eye. By the time that I was done with him, he was cleaned up and had a butterfly stitch above his eye. It was then that I turned toward Two-Bit, crawling over to sit in front of him. He looked tired and surprisingly enough, he hadn't really touched his beer much.

"You okay Two-Bit?" I asked, checking him over.

The corner of his lip was busted up a bit and he had a cut below his left eye. Whoever hit him was probably wearing a ring and that was probably why it looked so bad.

"Man, you sure know how to take punches," I said, shaking my head.

I then placed a cotton swab against his cheek, cleaning it as gently as possible. He just sat there, putting up with it as I rubbed the cut, wincing.

"Don't you know it babe," he chuckled.

"Just hush and lay down," I told him, standing back up and walking into the kitchen again.

Like last time, I went over to the freezer, pulling out a couple ice packs. I then walked back into the living room and tossed one in Two-Bit's lap.

"Put that on your hand," I told him, all too aware of the pain it was causing him. "And you, take off your shirt," I said, addressing Steve.

He looked ready to say something, but closed his mouth, wincing as he pulled his shirt off. He looked just as terrible.

"How did I know," I muttered.

The rest of his body was just as busted up as his face.

"I hope you don't plan on going back to work for a few days?" I asked, sitting back down beside him.

He merely grumbled something under his breath, but I just ignored it, helping him roll over on his stomach. He didn't like this too much, but he put up with it, allowing me to examine him further. He had welts all over the place, each one as painful as the next. He masked it pretty well though, only flinching every now and then when I pressed on one of them.

"Easy," he groaned, burying his head in one of the pillows.

"I am being easy," I told him, flicking him in the back of the head lightly.

I can't guarantee you that he wanted to possibly knock me off of the couch right now for bugging him, but he didn't, so I just continued to sit there trying my best to help him. The best that I could do, was numb the areas that were causing him pain, taking down the swelling as much as possible. At least then, he wouldn't be in as much pain when laying around.

A few minutes later, the front door opened and Ponyboy stepped in, a shaken look on his face.

"Where ya been?" Darry asked, looking over at Ponyboy.

Ponyboy didn't say anything though, slowly closing the door behind him.

"Ponyboy?" I called out, my voice careful and gentle.

He glanced over at me, mouth twitching as though trying to find his words. Something was bothering him and that was obvious.

"Pony, what's wrong?" Darry asked, getting up from his chair to stand in front of him.

"Johnny, I don't know," he swallowed, walking over toward the dining room. "He's not doin so good," he said.

"Ponyboy, what happened?" I asked, getting up as well, making my way over to him.

He stared at me with scared eyes, hand shaking a bit. I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"His...his heart stopped," he choked out.

My eyes went wide, watering a bit as I stood there. The other were just as speechless.

"They, they had to restart it," he continued, shaken. "They kept tryin, they finally did it, but Dally ran off," he told me. "I...I don't know what he's gonna do, he was really upset."

I ran a hand through my hair, moving over to the door. I pressed my forehead against it, feeling the tightness in my chest.

"Do you have any idea where he might have gone?" I asked, looking back over at him.

"I don't know, maybe the park?" he shrugged. "He's got his gun though."

"Damn it, Winston," I hissed.

If he was out of control, he'd probably do something stupid. I knew I had to do something then and there, quickly making up my mind, before running out of the house. I barely even heard the sound of Darry's voice as he yelled for me, stopping at the porch. I didn't even look back, continuing down the street toward the park. I swear, if he did something stupid, then I'd kick his narrow behind straight into next week.

T

"Dally?" I called, looking around.

I didn't see anything as I walked further into the park.

"Dally?" I called again.

It was then that I heard something, a sharp intake of breath. I looked around, listening for it again. I followed it to one of the trees, finding him sitting there on the ground behind one of them, his head grasped in his hands.

"Dally?" I whispered, carefully kneeling down beside him.

I watched as he stiffened, hands gripping his hair. He was obviously shaken, possibly more than Ponyboy. Dally never let anything out, always staying strong, but even someone like Dally could only handle so much.

"Dally, look at me," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

It took a moment, but he finally looked at me, mouth twitching as he tried to blink away tears. Lord knows, I never expected Dallas Winston of all people to end up like this, but no one was perfect.

"I can't take it," he choked out, his hand grabbing the grass and curling around it, before pulling it out.

He was an absolute wreck.

"Dal, it's gonna be alright," I told him.

"No it's not," he yelled, standing up, his back now facing away from me. "Man, I wish I had a bullet," he mumbled.

Now, it was my turn to go off.

"Now you hold it right there Winston!" I yelled, eyes watering.

He turned to look at me, almost unsure.

"So, what, you just wanna through your whole life away? Huh! Is that what you wanna do? Just put the gun to your head and pull the trigger!" I yelled.

He was silent as he stood there, staring down at me.

"It'd be so easy just to pull the trigger, end it all, just because of all of this! You really think that would be the end of it?" I asked, hands shaking at my sides. "Don't you think I might of thought the same thing at one point?" I pressed. "Just to give up on things when they got hard!"

I could feel tears falling as I stood there, continuing to yell at him.

"Yeah, it'd be _so_ easy just to give up. What do you think the rest of us would do though, huh? Did you ever ask yourself that one?"

"What are you on about?" he asked quietly.

"You think you have it hard? Trying to stay strong all the time. Well, what about me, huh, ever think to wonder about that? Think about the crap I've been through? I don't need another death on my hands!" I cried.

"The hell do you care for anyway?" he asked.

"Because I can see the good in you! You have promise, you have a future," I said, feeling myself shake. "You're my friend, part of my family," I blurted out.

At the word family, he seemed to freeze, not sure what to make of it

"What did you say?" he asked, licking the edge of his lip.

"You heard me, family," I said. "Don't you think I'd be hurting if I lost part of my family? You guys are the best thing to ever happen to me," I told him, trying to wipe my eyes. "There a good chance that I might be dead right now if it weren't for you Dallas, and that's sayin somethin."

"Look, Abby," he started.

"No, you look Dal. You're a part of my life now and I don't wanna lose that, so don't you even think for a minute that your life isn't worth a damn," I told him. "If you do, you come to me, you understand?"

He stood there for a moment, biting his bottom lip, before finally speaking.

"Yeah..." he whispered, walking toward me.

He wrapped an arm me, placing his chin on top of my head. I just sniffed, grabbing hold of part of his jacket, part of my hand brushing his bare chest. The idiot didn't even have a shirt on, just the pants I gave him and his jacket, that's it.

"I understand," he sighed.

**Yay! Chapter 30. So, what did you think, huh? I guess Abigail is no stranger to the feelings that Dallas held. Anyway, don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story. I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK because it helps me write. REally, it does. Also as promise, neither Dally or Johnny died.**


	31. Ch 31: Maybe For Christmas

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 31**

**Maybe For Christmas**

Two weeks passed by and we were left in December. The night after the rumble, everyone had stayed at our house so that I could keep an eye on them. They were all terribly sore. That and Ponyboy had ended up fainting in the living room from a fever. Apparently, he was sicker than we thought and suddenly went down at the drop of the hat. Luckily, Darry was close enough and grabbed him before his head could hit the ground. Although, that still didn't help with how worried that him and Soda had been. Both of them had stayed by his side while he was sick. Me, well, I'd convinced Darry to take a couple of days off to relax and watch over things while I continued to work.

Shortly after Ponyboy was better, we had to go down to the courthouse. They were going to give the verdict on possible punishment as they went over the facts. It had been so hot in there with all the windows closed and everyone close together in that small room. I just felt sorry for Darry, sitting there in that suit with a tie close on his neck. I knew that he had to have been sweating up a storm like everyone else. Me, I'd been stuck in a skirt and blouse. I had gone with them, wanting to be there by their side for support. We'd been extatic when the judge announced not guiltly, agreeing to place Ponyboy in Darry's care.

"Hey, Darry?"

"Yeah?" he looked toward me as I washed the dishes.

"How much longer do you think you'll have work?" I asked, knowing how cold it had been getting, along with the amount of rain that we'd been having.

"To be honest, I really don't know. Probably not much more though," he told me.

"What are you going to do then?" I asked, handing him one of the dishes to dry.

"I'm not really sure," he said honestly, taking his time in drying the plate.

"Well, between me and Soda, we should be able to hold out for a while," I said, scrubbing the food off of another dish, before handing it to Darry.

"I suppose, but I don't feel right, having you do all this," he said, taking the dish from my hand.

"Look as long as we watch the heat and electricity, we'll be fine. After all, I managed to get by just me and Eden all this time, we should still do fine now," I told him.

"But..."

"No buts," I said, flicking some water at him.

He just scrunched his nose up before laughing, flicking the towel at my butt.

"Darry!" I squealed, moving away.

"You started it, I'm finishing it," he said simply, moving toward me.

He placed the dish on the counter, before finally cornering me, wrapping me up in his arms. Before I knew it, he began tickling me, keeping me close against him so that I couldn't go anywhere.

"D-Darry!" I laughed, trying to wriggle free. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry!" I cried.

He stopped a few moments later, merely keeping his arms around me now.

"You're a devil, you know that."

"And you're not?" he asked skeptically, biting back a grin.

I just stuck my tongue out at him at this, showing off my childish side. This made him laugh.

"I suppose we're both devils then," he chuckled, bringing his hand up to rest against my cheek, his thumb rubbing over it gently.

"You're worse," I breathed.

I couldn't help, but to smile at him as he did this, closing my eyes in a feeling of peace. His touch always did this to me and I was never left with a feeling of regret. I then felt him lean down, before pressing his lips to mine. It was such a nice feeling, sensual, calming. It was so nice that I even wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him just a bit closer as I kissed back, savoring the feeling between us. How I'd gone so long without someone like him, I would never know.

"I love you..." he whispered, running a hand through my hair.

"I love you too," I spoke into the kiss, my body pressed up against his.

We seemed to fit perfectly together, me and him. That's what I thought as we stood there for a moment, arms wrapped around one another. It was so easy to feel this way with him.

"If I get sick because of you, you're a dead man," I whispered, resting my head against his shoulder for a moment.

"If you get sick, then we'll just have to deal with it then," he chuckled, stroking my hair.

"I'll still ring your neck though," I mumbled into his shoulder.

"I'll be looking forward to it."

I shoved him for that one, a smile breaking onto my face.

"You're terrible," I laughed.

"You know you love it," he joked.

Truth be told, he got sick a while back after Pony did, likely getting whatever Ponyboy had had. At this point though, he was feeling a bit better, but I was still afraid of getting sick. At the moment we couldn't afford to get sick. Darry was the exception because he hadn't had any work. Me, I still had to be at Joe's almost everyday. I'd be pulling long hours for the next couple weeks though in order to help with Christmas. That meant that it'd be more hectic. We'd also be having plenty more customers coming in out of the cold for food and drink. It always got busier in the winter.

"So, have you thought about what to get Soda and Ponyboy?" I asked, moving back over to the sink to finish the dishes up.

"Well, Soda busted his comb a while back, so I was thinking about getting him another one," he told me.

"What about Ponyboy?"

"I'll probably just stop by the bookstore of something," he said with a shrug.

"And what do _you_ want?" I asked, turning my head to look at him.

"Peace and quiet?" he chuckled.

"Seriously though, what do you want for Christmas?" I asked, leaning against the counter.

"I don't know, I don't really need anything," he said.

"Just humor me?" I breathed.

"A new razor?" he offered, saying the first thing that came to his mind.

"Now, was that so hard?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Was this?" he asked, getting me with the towel like he had before.

"Darry!" I cried, moving away.

He just followed me right into the living room with it, a grin on his face as he whipped it up and got me in the butt.

"I swear, when I get a hold of you!" I exclaimed.

"Have to stop running first," he laughed, moving to get me again.

I just ran up the stairs, closing the door behind me. Unfortunately though, there was no lock on the door, so I was stuck hiding in the closet.

"You know you can't hide," he called, walking into the room, before shutting the door behind him.

I could hear him walking around the room, his feet thumping lightly against the floor. I could hear the shifting of the sheets as he looked under the bed, then the sound of his feet moving toward the closet.

"Found you!" he cried, throwing the doors open.

I let out a squeal a moment later, laughing when he picked me up in his arms and threw me onto the bed, watching me bounce a few times.

"Now, you're mine," he said, climbing onto the bed after me.

I laughed as he drew closer, hovering over me. Then, just as he was about to lean down and kiss me, we heard the front door slam.

"You've got to be kidding me," he groaned, hanging his head.

"Hey, Abby! You ready?" it was Dally.

"Just give me a minute!" I called, moving to sit up. "How about this, for Christmas, you get me all to yourself?" I offered.

"Yeah, sure, like that'll happen," he said, rolling his eyes.

"I'll be back after a while, okay?" I said, pressing my lips to his. "Get some sleep, it's good for you," I told him, getting up off and bed and walking downstairs.

Dally was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest, an eyebrow raised.

"Did I interupt something?" he asked off handedly, not really caring that much.

"Don't worry about it. Just let me put my shoes on and then we can go, alright?"

"Yeah, sure, man."

And I did just that, pulling my shoes on and tying them up, grabbing my jacket afterward. Once that was out of the way, we left the house, walking toward town.

T

Darry sighed as he laid there on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. To say that he was annoyed was pushing it. Every time that he tried to get some time alone with Abigail, something would happen or someone would interrupt. All that he wanted to do was lay there with her and hold her in his arms, even kiss her occasionally. They'd actually been having fun before Dally had come and interrupted them. It'd been just like the last time, Soda coming home and announcing his arrival. He never seemed to get a break.

"Maybe for Christmas like she said," he breathed.

He then closed his eyes, turning over on his side, his hand coming to rest in the space where Abigail should have been.

**Yay! Chapter 31. I really must apologize on the shortness of it, but I really didn't feel as though I could write much more for this particular chapter. Next one should be longer though. Anyway, please remember to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story. **

**IMPORTANT:**

**ALSO if ANYONE has any IDEAS on gifts like what the some of the guys could get Abigail for Christmas or vise versa, it'd be GREATLY appreciated.**

**THANKS EVERYONE!**


	32. Ch 32: Shopping

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 32**

**_Shopping_**

"So, Darry, what are ya gonna get her for Christmas?" Soda asked.

Abigail had gone to work early that day, Dally walking her to work while the rest of them stayed home.

"I don't know, I hadn't really thought about it," he said with a shrug.

Truthfully, that had been a lie. Darry had been trying all week to think of something, but for some reason, it seemed rather hard. He knew that she never asked for anything, not once. She was always trying to help them out, making living in their house just a bit easier. It was almost like it had become her second job in a way, taking care of them. It was a job that was supposed to rest on Darry's shoulders, not hers. She'd been doing it long enough. In fact, perhaps that's what she needed, to know that _he'd_ take care of her. He'd make it official, he'd give her his ring.

"Hey, Pony, me and Soda are gonna go out for a bit alright?" Darry said, standing up.

"Where are we goin Dar?" Soda asked, a curious look on his face.

"Just come on," he said quietly, moving toward the door.

Soda was quiet, but followed, waving over his shoulder at Ponyboy.

"See ya kid," he called, walking out the door. "So, where are we going exactly?" Soda asked, pulling the door handle on the truck.

"Shopping," Darry said simply, climbing into the drivers side.

"Shopping?" Soda asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, shopping," Darry sighed, turning the key over in the ignition.

"Any idea what we're going to get?" he asked, leaning back in his seat.

"We're looking for a dog," Darry said after a moment, moving to pull out of the subdivision.

"Seriously?" Soda exclaimed, his mouth practically hanging open as he stared at Darry.

"Very," he nodded.

Soda could barely believe it, they were actually going to get a dog. He could recall the number of times that Ponyboy had mentioned wanting a dog. Man, he could just see the look on Pony's face if he knew.

"Wait, why are we getting one now? I figured you'd wait til Christmas or something," he said, brows furrowed.

He then heard Darry clear his throat, meaning that there was another reason behind it, something important that he hadn't told him.

"Darry, what's the _real_ reason we're getting a dog?" he asked, looking over at his brother.

Darry just kept his eyes on the road as he drove toward town.

"Darry?" Soda's voice was hesitant.

"You know how Abigail asked to talk to me a bit before the rumble?" he asked slowly, letting out a breath of air.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, she told me something and it's kinda been botherin me," he admitting, pressing on the brake when they got to the stop light.

"Well, are you going to sit there or are you gonna tell me?" Soda joked.

"Someone followed her home."

"What?"

The smile on Soda's face was now gone, being replaced with a serious one.

"Who was it?" he asked, gripping his pant leg.

"That's the problem, we don't know."

"Seriously?"

"Look, she didn't see who it was, alright?" Darry said, turning the corner.

"Then how does she know she was being followed if she didn't see anyone?" Soda asked.

Darry sighed, running a hand through his hair as he stopped, turning off the engine.

"Look, Soda, someone was following her and it freaked her out," he told him, pulling the keys from the ignition and pushing open his door.

As he got out, Soda joined him, walking around the truck to stand in front of him.

"You know what this means, right?" Soda asked, crossing his arms. "We've got more trouble."

"Yeah, I know, don't remind me," Darry groaned, walking around Soda toward the building in front of them.

He just wanted to get done and get home, possibly pick Eden up from her friends house to surprise Abigail. If Darry had to take a guess, she was tired of being around the guys all of the time. Although, she didn't seem to mind Two-Bit that much. In fact, she seemed to fancy him a bit.

"Let's just get inside?" Darry suggested.

"Yeah, sure, but I get dibs on the name," he grinned, running to catch up with his brother.

Darry merely shook his head, walking in through the front doors with his brother. Once inside, they could hear the sound of dogs barking in the back, while a bird squawked in the front. They were surprised when it mimicked the sound of the bell, before saying hello.

"Hello, hello," it spoke, dancing back and forth on its perch.

"Cool," Soda awed, walking toward it. "Hello," he greeted, a grin on his face.

"Hello, hello," it repeated. "Good birdie, be a good birdie. Tuckie, good bird," it said, ruffling up its feathers.

"Darry, do you see this," Soda exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's a talking bird," Darry mumbled as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I think we should get one," Soda commented.

"We're here for a dog, remember?" Darry reminded him. "Um, excuse me," Darry called, calling to the person in back.

They watched as they came around front, a clipboard in their hands. It was a woman with long blond hair and gray blue eyes. She had a smile on her face. Two-Bit would be head over heels for this girl.

"Hello, how may I help you?" she asked with a smile, leaning against the counter.

"Um, yes, we're here to look for a dog," Darry started.

"Alright, follow me then please," she said, leading them into another room full of kennels.

As they walked in, they found dogs everywhere, all of them barking up a storm.

"So, what kind of dog are you looking for?" she asked, looking toward Darry and Soda.

"We're looking for a large dog, one that can keep the house safe," Darry explained, looking inside at some of the dogs.

There was a little dog in one that kept jumping up like a jumping jack. It was rather entertaining to be honest and Soda found it down right amusing.

"Man, that little guy can jump," Soda chuckled.

"Yeah, but we're lookin for somethin bigger Soda," Darry told him, following the woman.

"The bigger ones are down here," she told him, leading them down toward the end.

As they got closer, the dogs got bigger. There were a few Rottweilers, Retrievers, Dobermans, even a couple German Shepards. The German Shepards are what caught Darry's interest though.

"Are any of these dogs trained?" Darry asked, not wanting to have the hassle of having to train one when they needed something _now_.

"A few are, but it depends on your home," she explained. "Do you have any kids in your home?" she asked.

"Unless you count a 14 year old," Soda chuckled.

"How many people are in the home?" she asked.

"Three other people besides us and then a few friends from time to time," Darry told her.

"Then I would recommend either a Retriever or a German Shepard," she told him.

"I was thinking a German Shepard," Darry voiced, looking to his right at one of the kennels.

There was a traditional colored German Shepard sitting there waging his tail. He was a rather friendly looking fellow for the most part as well.

"What about this one?" he asked, pointing to the one that he'd been eyeing.

The woman smiled at him, going over and unlocking the gated door, placing her hands up.

"Stay," she ordered, watching as the dog was itching to jump up on them.

"Come here boy," Soda suddenly called, patting his legs.

A moment later, the dog came charging forward, easily knocking Soda onto the ground.

"You okay?" Darry asked, walking over to his brother, hands on his hip in question.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he laughed, moving his head around as the dog kept licking at him, tail waging furiously. "I like him," he grinned, patting his head.

"Apparently, he likes you too," Darry chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "We'll take him," Darry announced.

"Yes!" Soda exclaimed, ruffling the dogs fur.

T

On the way back, the dog sat in Soda's seat, sticking it's head out the window. Soda just kept petting his fur, getting hit every now and then by his waging tail. The paperwork had been taken care of quickly and easily, so now the German Shepard was all theirs. They just hoped that he wouldn't try destroying the tree, but given the fact that he wasn't a puppy, they felt that they could trust him enough to leave it alone.

"Hey, Ponyboy!" Soda called, walking up the stairs and onto the porch.

"Yeah?" his voice was accompanied by a bored yawn.

"Got somethin for ya," Soda grinned, pushing the door open, before letting go of the leash.

The dog ran right in, charging straight for Ponyboy. Darry ended up giving Soda a questionable look as he walking toward the house, hearing Ponyboy cry out, a large bag of dog food on his shoulder.

"What was that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, just Ponyboy," Soda said off handedly, walking into the house.

Darry walked in behind him, finding Ponyboy on the floor with the dog on top of him.

"The heck?" Pony cried out, trying to push the dog off of himself as he was assaulted by a wet tongue.

"Hey," Soda called with a whistle, watching as the large canine removed itself from Ponyboy and ran toward him. "Good boy," he grinned, patting his head.

"Hey, Pony, why don't you go out to the truck and grab the rest of the stuff?" Darry suggested, sitting the bag of food down in the kitchen.

"Stuff?" Ponyboy asked, a curious look on his face.

"Yeah, stuff. You know, like the dog bed, etc.?" he offered, opening the fridge and going for a Coke.

"You mean..."

Darry felt like saying _duh_, but he refrained, twisting the cap off of the bottle.

"You got it little buddy, all ours," he said, a small grin pulling onto his face as he looked at his youngest brother. "All ours."

**Chapter 32! Finally! Took a bit longer than most of them lately, but it's finally out. I hope that everyone liked it? More fun it coming up soon, so keep an eye out. Anyway, don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story. I LOVE hearing feedback. It helps me WRITE! Anyway, thanks everyone and keep reading! :)**


	33. Ch 33: Sparky

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 33**

**Sparky**

The next few days came and went, until Christmas was practically upon them. This also left everyone scattering around decorating the house and cooking. This would be their first Christmas together. It would also be Abigail's first Christmas to truly celebrate. She was with people that truly cared for her. She had Darry who loved her dearly, she had Soda and Ponyboy whom were like brothers to her now, she even had the rest of the gang. Plus, she was free from her father and even her nightmares for once. To be honest, she'd been able to sleep soundly for the entire week without any problems whatsoever.

"Hey, Abby, catch," Soda called, tossing an ornament her way.

He laughed as her eyes went wide, watching as she scrambled to catch it, cradling it in her hands.

"Are you nuts?" she cried, holding the small glass ball in her slender hands.

He just grinned at her before laughing, looking between his brothers. For some reason, Soda liked having her flustered at times. Darry didn't really appreciate it much, but there wasn't much that he could do about it either though.

"You better not break anything Soda," Darry warned, tightening one of the screws at the bottom of the small tree.

He didn't need it falling over by accident and breaking anything, so he was always checking things over.

"Come on Darry, I'm just havin a bit of fun," he chuckled, tossing a strand of garland at him.

Darry gave him a flat look at this, pulling the thick strand off of his head.

"Just keep pushin it little buddy and see what happens."

"Yeah, sure, like you'll really do somethin," Soda joked, pushing at Darry's buttons.

Abigail just tried to ignore them, going back to putting stuff on the tree. They had at least two boxes full of Christmas stuff to go through yet, giving them plenty to do.

T

As they kept up with everything, Abigail was reminded of when she was a child, decorating the tree with her mother. She was now doing it with Darry and Soda, while Eden and Ponyboy stuck to the kitchen. In a way, she found it odd how normal she felt about it, being happy in this house. It wasn't even hers, but she felt at home inside its walls as if she'd been there forever. Perhaps it was just the occupants of the house, but she knew it was more than that. The house was filled with something that hers hadn't been. It was filled with a sense of security and warmth. Even with the Curtis' parents gone, she could still feel the love that had been left behind.

"Hey."

At the sound of the voice, Abigail jumped, turning toward Darry. He had a warm smile on his face as he looked down at her.

"Yeah?"

"Just seemed like you were thinkin about somethin," he commented, running a strand of lights around his side of the tree, before handing them off to her.

"I was just thinking how different it is now. You know, spending Christmas here, my first on with you guys," she said, a small smile pulling at her lips.

"You haven't seen nothin yet," Soda chuckled, tacking a bit of decoration onto the mantle.

Abigail looked over at him for a moment, before looking back toward Darry, and then toward the kitchen.

"Don't worry, they're not goin anywhere," Darry chuckled, resting a hand on top of her head.

She gave him a small smile as he ruffled her hair a bit, pushing it out of her face. She always enjoyed his attention, even if she fought back a bit at times or retaliated. She still loved it all the same.

"Here, try this on for size," he said, suddenly placing a wreath over her head.

"Hey!" she squealed, feeling the edges scrape and tickle her neck.

It felt strange having something like that around her neck, very strange.

"Darry, it's itchy," she whined, scrunching her nose up.

She then pulled it off from around her neck and placed it over Darry's, watching him chuckle a moment later. He didn't bother taking it off though, merely going back to stringing the lights. This made Abigail roll her eyes, before shaking her head. Sometimes Darry just didn't make any since at all.

Before too long though, they were getting on the dog for messing with the tree. They didn't know what he was trying to do exactly, but it looked like he was trying to eat the lights.

"Stop that," Abigail cried, trying to pull him off, but he didn't listen.

Instead, he wagged his tail and continued scratching near the bottom of the tree.

"Stop that!" Darry yelled, but like before, he didn't listen.

Instead, he started chewing on the lightens, and before too long the sound of electricity was heard in the air, along with a small snort from the dog. Everyone stood there, looking down at him as his fur stood on end, before he wrung himself out. He then sat there wagging his tail again, a happy look on his face.

"Well, I think I know what to call him now," Soda chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sparky."

"You've got to be kidding me," Darry said, shaking his head as he bit back a small chuckle.

Leave it to Soda to come up with something, no matter how fitting it may be.

"Come here, Sparky," Soda called, patting his legs.

He was knocked down a moment later with Sparky on top of him licking his face.

"Alright, alight!" Soda cried, trying to push him off.

Abigail and Darry merely laughed at this, Eden and Ponyboy joining them as the two watched from the kitchen.

"Get 'em Sparky," Soda said, pointing toward Abigail and Darry.

"Oh no," Abigail said warily, watching as Sparky turned toward them.

They didn't know why, but Sparky had a habit of obeying Soda. He rarely listened to anyone else. Granted, he liked everyone well enough, only going as far as grumbling around Steve.

"Soda, call him off," Darry ordered, placing Abigail behind him.

"Uh-uh, I wanna see this," Soda grinned. "Get 'em," he repeated, watching as Sparky lunged for them, causing Abigail to trip and fall backwards.

Unfortunately, Darry ended up landing on her as Sparky laid on top of him.

"Soda, you better run," Darry called, try to get off of Abigail, only to be knocked back down.

"Soda, you're dead," Abigail cried, trying to push Darry off of her leg.

It's not that he was overly heavy or anything, but just the fact he was sitting on it wrong was the problem.

"Pony, get in here," Darry said.

Ponyboy came over right away, pulling Sparky by his collar until he got off, finally letting Darry get off of Abigail.

"Finally," she groaned, earning a small snort from Darry. "Hey, you were sitting on my leg wrong," she pointed out, rubbing her leg.

It didn't feel good having a full grown man sitting on her like that. Maybe a child, but not someone as big as him. After all, he _was_ bigger than either Pony or Soda. Darry was the biggest out of all of the gang.

"You know, I think we should just tie Soda up and decorate him instead," Darry suggested, eyeing his brother as he helped Abigail up.

"Aw, where's the fun in that?" Soda asked.

"Plenty," Darry said simply, slowly moving toward Soda.

Within seconds, they were rolling around on the floor, Darry catching him in a headlock. Soda got out of it though, rolling around until Darry was against the floor on his stomach.

"Come on you two, stop it," Abigail said, standing out of the way with Ponyboy and Eden.

"I don't think so," Darry breathed, manuvering around until he had both arms behind his brothers back. "You give up?"

"Never," Soda grunted, kicking out his feet until Darry let go, flipping him back over.

"Okay, that's it," Abigail started, pulling a whistle from her pocket that they'd been trying to use for Sparky.

She blew into it a moment later, breaking the two apart, hands over their ear.

"Man, that's loud," Soda groaned, looking up at her to find her with her hands on her hips.

"Well, I _did_ tell you guys to stop it," she pointed out. "After all, I really don't think we need anything broken right before Christmas."

"We could always open the presents now, that way they don't break anything," Ponyboy suggested.

"I don't think so kid."

Abigail knew what he was trying to do, Eden had tried the same thing once the other year, and it didn't work then either.

"You can wait til tomorrow like everyone else Ponyboy," she told him, moving back over to the tree to switch out the strand of lights that Sparky had ruined.

"I'll still never understand why we waited so long to put everything up," Eden commented, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, first off, this _is_ their house Eden. Besides, I've been working and Darry wanted me to be able to help," she explained.

"Someone could have still started on something," Eden complained pointlessly.

"Well, then I guess everyone in this house is just lazy then," Abigail concluded, dropping the strand of bad lights onto the floor with a thump.

Eden grumbled after a moment, before walking back into the kitchen.

"Did we do something wrong?" Soda asked, moving to sit up.

Abigail shook her head, grabbing a new strand of lights from the box by her feet.

"Not really. I think she's just a bit tense because things are different this year," Abigail started, wrapping the new strand of light around where the others had been. "Christmas had always been spent at our house. Even though the last four years it's just been the two of us, but it's what she's used to," she explained.

As Abigail said this, she remembered how they'd decorated their tree every year. All the pretty ornaments, shining glass, and cutouts that they had made. She could still see the little white angel that they had used for the tree topper in the back of her mind. It was something that her and her mother had made together. It was long gone now though, likely burned to ashes in the ruins of her old home.

"This one will be one of the best," Darry promised her, shoving his brother lightly with his foot before getting up and joining her. "This year, you guys won't be by yourselves."

Abigail smiled at this, looking between the three brothers who were smiling at her.

"You're right. That's why, I already have the greatest of gifts," she told them, looking over at the tree.

"And what's that?" Ponyboy asked.

"All of you," she smiled. "I have a real family now," she told them.

"Aw, that's so sweet," Soda exclaimed, before grabbing her in a big hug and spinning her around.

"Soda!" she cried, her face turning a bit red.

"Soda, put her down," Darry instructed.

"Do I have to?" Soda whined, holding her close.

"Yes."

"Fine," he sighed, finally putting her down on the ground, watching as she stumbled just a bit.

Darry grabbed hold of her a moment later, steadying her. She was grateful to say the least, giving him a small smile.

"Man, were's the mistletoe when you need it?" Soda chuckled.

"I think it's in the box," Ponyboy stated, turning around to go back to the kitchen.

Soda just turned to grin at them, riffling around in the box.

"You've got to be kidding me," Darry breathed.

"Soda, do you _really_ enjoy watching me kiss your brother or something?" Abigail asked, raising an eyebrow at him in question.

"Whoever said you'd be kissin him?" he grinned, finally pulling the mistletoe out of the box.

"Seriously, Soda?" Darry asked in exasperation.

Soda still held that grin on his face as he looked at the two.

"Come on, Abby, it's all in good fun," Soda laughed, holding the mistletoe over his head.

She rolled her eyes at this, but still walked over and kissed him on the cheek.

"There, happy now?" she asked.

"Very."

"Now, give me that," she said, taking the piece of greenery from his hand, before turning back toward Darry.

There was a certain look on his face as he stared at her, pulling her toward the dining room. He then took the mistletoe from her awaiting hand, easily tacking it to the top of the frame above their heads. That was their moment and they took it, coming together with a kiss.

**Yay! Chapter 33! I REALLY hope that everyone liked it? The few scenes with Darry and Abigail and Soda's little stunts? Please, don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story. I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK. It helps me write and keeps me happy. Thanks everyone!**


	34. Ch 34: Christmas At The Curtis House

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 34**

**Christmas at the Curtis House**

As the night passed away, so came morning, light pouring from the ice covered windows of winter. It made it's way into every window of the house, skimming the skin of anyone it could reach. It even managed to drape Abigail's face in a vail of sunshine, slowing coxing her to wake from her dreams.

T

I groaned, burying my face into the pillow. Light had managed to pour into the room from the draped window, shining down it me. I had hoped to sleep a bit longer, but apparently it wouldn't have that. I realized something else as I laid there though, eyes closed. The warmth that Darry normally had was gone and the space beside me was empty. Although as I rested my hand where he had been, I could still feel a faint warmth. This made me smile as I laid there trying to go back to sleep. I figured that he'd likely gotten up to use the bathroom or something, but I wasn't sure. My question was soon answered though by the sound of footsteps, our door opening a moment later. It was then that I was met with a surprise upon opening my eyes. I found Darry standing there in a pair of sweatpants and no shirt. His hair was a bit on the flat side from sleeping, but the smile he had, it warmed my insides.

"Darry, what's this?" I asked, yawning as I sat up slowly.

"I figured I'd bring you breakfast in bed," he chuckled, walking over to me with a small tray in his hands, crawling back onto the bed beside me.

I looked down at everything, a warm smile pulling onto my face. True, I was still tired, but this made my morning to say the least.

"This looks delicious," I smiled.

"Then I did my job, but why don't you take a bite first, just to be sure?" he suggested, leaning back against the headboard.

I nodded my head, doing as suggested and took a bit. He'd made eggs, along with biscuits and gravy. I swear though, once the gravy touched my tongue, I was in heaven. It tasted just as good as it look.

"Mmm," I moaned, leaning my head back and licking my lips. "Darry, this is delicious," I told him, turning toward him. "Have you even tasted it?"

"Nope," he shook his head.

"Seriously?"

I couldn't believe that he hadn't even tried his own cooking and yet he was giving it to me to eat.

"Alright Mr. you're trying some of this wonderful concoction," I said firmly, raking some of it onto the spoon and placing it in front of his mouth. "Now, open," I instructed.

He just chuckled at this, but opened his mouth nonetheless, allowing me to feed him. He seemed to enjoy it though, so that was good enough for me.

"You're right, it is good," he breathed.

I laughed at this, before raising my hand and wiping the corner of his mouth. He tried to bite back a grin, but failed miserably.

"Thank you, for everything Darry," I said softly, placing the tray to the side and hugging him.

His arms were wrapped around me in seconds, returning my embrace.

T

After eating and sharing the meal that he had made me, we laid there for a while in each others arms, my head resting against his bare chest. It was a comforting feeling, having his arms wrapped around me, but even that had to end after a while once we hearing footsteps. That meant that the others were up now and no doubt the rest of the gang would soon be joining us. It was just sad because Johnny was still in the hospital, but once he got out, I promised myself that I'd take him out somewhere.

"Hey, get up, I wanna open presents," Soda called, knocking on our door.

"I guess we should get up then, huh?"

Darry sighed at this, but nodded his head reluctantly, sitting up on the bed. I leaned up and kissed his cheek before getting out of bed. He followed right behind me after that, not even bothering to put a shirt on, not that I minded of course.

"Come on," Soda whined, sitting downstairs on the couch in his pajamas.

"Hold your horses," Darry called, running a hand through his hair as he walked down the steps with me.

I found Ponyboy and Eden sitting around the tree trying to take a peak at things once at the bottom of the stairs.

"Eden."

"Pony."

Our voices came out simultaneously as we scolded our sibling, causing both of them to turn around nervously.

"Why don't you guys at least grab a biscuit or something?" I suggested, moving toward the tree.

Everyone groaned at this, but with one look from Darry, they all got up and grabbed something to eat.

"The soon you guys eat, the sooner we can open presents," I told them, laughing as I watched Soda try to stuff food into his mouth.

"Don't forget to chew," Darry chuckled, sitting down on the couch and pulling me onto his lap.

He just held me there, allowing me to lean my back against him. You wouldn't believe how at home I felt at this moment, just sitting there with him on the couch and watching the kids eat. At the same time, it made my heart ache to a degree. Then again, I felt my heart ache every Christmas, but of course this year was different. As I sat there, I thought about everything that had happened these last few months. So much had changed, for better or for worse, I was still happy.

"I wish things could be like this everyday," I whispered, turning my head so that my nose was pressed into the crook of Darry's neck.

"So do I," he replied, bringing my hand up and pressing his lips against my knuckles.

Even though it made my face heat up a bit, it still felt nice, leaving a smile upon my face.

"Don't get too hot over there," Soda joked, downing some more of his milk.

"Shut it, Soda," Darry warned.

Before anything else could be said though, Steve and Two-Bit came barging into the house, Dally following behind shortly after. That left the house loaded with people. Well, not exactly load, but still, it was officially a full house with the gang here.

"Hey, Dal," I greeted from my spot on Darry's lap.

"Hey there princess," he grinned, before dropping a little box in my lap.

"What's this?" I asked curiously, looking down at the small bow topped box.

To be honest, it was so small that it fit in the palm of my hand.

"Open it and find out," he told me, moving over to lean against the wall.

At the same time, Steve jumped Soda, tackling him onto the ground in a wrestling match. At that point, Eden and Ponyboy made their way into the living room and over toward the couch away from the two wrestling maniacs.

"You gonna sit there all day or are you gonna open it man?" Dally asked, lighting a cigarette.

"You know the rules Dallas," Darry warned, watching as he lit the cigarette.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Dally muttered, walking out the front door onto the porch.

"Well, open it," Darry nudged.

"Alright already," I laughed, pulling the ribbon loose, along with the wrapping paper.

I then opened the box, setting the lid down on my lap. I saw surprised to see what was in the box, that was for sure. It was a little charm, a cross to be more specific, with a small diamond in the middle. This made me smile because I kind of know why he gave it to me.

"Hey, Dally?" I called getting up from Darry's lap and walking over to the door.

Dally had left it open a bit so that he could hear everything, that's how I knew he could hear what I had said.

"Hold on," he told me, putting his cigarette out and placing it behind his ear.

Within seconds he was back inside and standing in front of me.

"Thank you, it's beautiful," I told him, wrapping my arms around his waist in a hug.

He returned it after a moment, carefully wrapping his arms around me. I could tell that he still wasn't used to it, but even around the gang, we all knew he was a bit different. Like with Darry, it was just a bit easier to show it when it was just the two of us.

"You're welcome," he finally said, letting me go and moving to sit down in one of the chairs.

"Alright, who's next?" Two-Bit asked, looking around at everyone.

"Why don't you grab that yellow package right over there?" I said, pointing to a decent sized one under the right side of the tree.

"Ooh, is it mine?" he asked.

I nodded my head, watching as he tore into a moment later. It was like watching a little kid on Christmas day. Actually, scratch that, saying that is a contradictory. It still as if he was a small child though, happy as can moment that he found out what it was, he jumped off the floor and tackled me in a big bear hug. I'd gotten him a new Mickey Mouse t-shirt, along with a metal Mickey keychain that was also used for a beer opener. One of Joe's sons works with metal, so I'd had it custom made.

"Man, I could kiss you right now," he laughed, hugging me tighter.

"Two-Bit, I'm glad you like it, but I gotta breathe," I told him.

He let go after that, allowing me to collapse on the floor by Darry's feet. Man, that boy was stronger than he looked.

"Alright, which one is mine?" Soda asked, ready to rip into whatever was his.

"Try the purple one," Darry pipped up, leaning forward so that he could rest his chin on top of my head, his arms draping loosely around me from up top.

I just smiled at this, resting my cheek against his upper arm, while my hands gripped his lightly.

"I wonder what it is," Soda mused, shaking the box.

No sound came from it though, leaving him curious. He then looked at Darry and me for a moment with a questionable looking, before finally ripping into it, throwing the wrapping paper onto the living room floor. After that, he tore the box apart, sending

Two-Bit into a fit of laughter. It was only made worse when Soda pulled out the comb that had been inside.

"Aw, you guys remembered," he said cheesily, but that was just him being silly.

"Hey, we could have gotten you underwear," Darry pointed out.

At that, Dally had to bite back a laugh, but it had nothing to do with Soda. No, it actually had to do with Darry.

"Why don't you open this then Dar," Dally suggest, tossing a package this way.

"Dallas!" I cried, giving him a look. "You _really_ want him opening that first?" I asked, looking at him like he was nuts.

"Hey, you got it for him," he chuckled, a smirk pulling onto his thin lips.

"Fine then," I said, rolling my eyes.

"I won't open it if you don't want me to Abby," Darry told me, using my nickname.

It wasn't exactly something that he used very often. I don't know why, but he seemed to like calling me by my first name for the most part. That was neither here nor there though.

"No, go ahead," I told him. "Besides, I think Dally just wants a laugh is all."

You see, Dally had gone out with me when I got Darry's stuff, so he knew exactly what it was.

"Alright then," he shrugged, leaning back into the couch so that he could open it.

I tried to keep my composer as I sat there on the floor, but Two-Bit seemed to catch on, sending his eyes Darry's way to watch. He burst out laughing though upon seeing what Darry had pulled from the box, inevitably rolling around on the floor.

"Golly," Ponyboy choked out, placing a hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh.

Even Eden tried to stifle a laugh. Steve didn't really bother hiding his though, laughing out loud instead.

"Well, I wasn't expecting this," Darry admitted, holding the black and red material in his hands.

I'd given him a pair of black boxers with red hearts on them. Personally, I thought that they looked nice, but that was me.

"Hey, Superman, why don't you go put 'em on and show 'em off," Dally chuckled, before turning his eyes toward me.

"If you're not careful, I might actually start thinking that you like seeing me with practically nothing on," Darry commented, before getting up and walking over to the bathroom.

To be honest, I couldn't believe that he was really going to do it. Then again, he was among friends, so I guess it didn't really matter to be honest.

"Ponyboy, yours is the little green one," I pointed out, letting a yawn escape me.

As Ponyboy went to grab his gift, I saw Two-Bit whispering something to Steve. Steve nearly choked, before trying to cover up a laugh. He then turned to Soda and relayed the message, ending up in the same result, save for the fact that he now had a grin on his face.

"What are you guys whispering about?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"N-nothing," Steve choked out.

"Which one is mine?" Eden asked, getting a bit impatient.

"The red on with the black ribbon," I told her.

She grabbed it immediately, ripping into much like Soda had, while Ponyboy took his time. Then again, he probably knew what his was, so that might have had something to do with that. That also meant he didn't want to risk tearing what was inside.

"I thought..." Eden couldn't really finish her sentence as she looked over at me.

For the last two years, she been asking me for a certain pair of shoes, but I never had the money to do it. She'd wanted these pretty low heel shoes with rose print all over them. Now, she held them in her hands, a smile on her face.

"Thank you!" she squealed, rushing over to hug me.

I couldn't help, but to smile at this. It'd been so long since she had hugged me and now, I felt a tug at my heart. How I had missed the little girl that was behind my sister. The sweet innocent young girl.

Our moment was ended though when Darry walked back out of the bathroom, clad in his new boxers. I could feel my cheeks heating up just a bit as I stared at him.

"Man, lookin' good," Dally teased, earning a dry look from Darry.

"Lay off Dallas," Darry told him, pulling his sweatpants on over them and taking a seat back down on the couch behind me like before.

I had expected as much to happen, but still.

"Hey, Two-Bit, give me that little blue one over there," I said, pointing to the one at the base of the tree.

"Alright," he laughed, before tossing it to me.

I swear, if I hadn't caught it, then it would have hit Darry.

"This one is yours Dal," I announced, tossing it his way.

He caught it in one hand, easily taking the wrapping off. The box itself was actually only a bit bigger than the one that he'd given me. He didn't really seem to care though about the size, tossing the lid on the floor. I watched though as the corner of his lips pulled and tugged into a small smile, pulling the object from the safety of the box. It was a Zippo lighter with a wispy feather design on it. I'd even taken to have his name scribed on the name space on the front of the lighter, but just Dallas.

"How much did this cost you?" he asked, holding it up.

"Don't worry about it," I told him, leaning back against Darry's leg. "Besides, I think it makes you look more tuff," I added, a smile on my face. "What do you think guys?"

"She's got a point Dal," Soda shrugged.

"Think of the looks he'd get with a lighter like that," Two-Bit laughed. "Ain't a Greaser around with a lighter like that," he exclaimed happily.

"I guess," Dally shrugged, but I knew he was happy. "Thanks man."

"Okay, now that that's outta the way," Two-Bit started, grabbing a red wrapped gift from behind the tree.

He was trying to stifle as laugh as he slide it over to me, catching everyone's attention.

"What's this?" I asked.

"Just open it," he grinned, biting back a laugh.

I gave him a wary look, but nodded all the same, pulling the ribbon and wrapping paper from the box. It was a clothing box, but that's all that I knew. I then took the lid off and set it to the side, removing the tissue paper. The moment I did though, my face went bright red.

"T-Two-Bit!" I cried, eyes wide as I held the clothing my hand.

The kid had given me a pair of black and red lacy panties and bra. I'd never been so embarrassed in my life. Everyone in the house burst out laughing to my dismay, save to Darry. His face was red as well as he saw the garments I was holding, so if that told you anything at all, then you knew he really was well mannered as I thought. What was worse though, was that the stuff was my size exactly. I was _so _going to kill that kid because it meant that he'd messed with my stuff at some point, either that or Eden had opened her mouth. Now that I thought about it, that made perfect sense.

"I'm gonna kill both of you," I pointed out, eyeing Eden and Two-Bit, whom were both grinning at me.

"Hey, Princess, why don't you go try 'em on?" Dally suggested, a smirk on his face.

"To hell with you!" I yelled, throwing the box at him.

There was no way in hell I was putting that stuff on for their amusement.

"It's lingerie for crying out loud!"

"Isn't that the point?" Two-Bit chuckled.

"You are so dead!" I cried, lunging at him.

At that point, we were both on the floor wrestling around. I was so pissed at this point, even though I was still more embarrassed than anything. He actually had the gal to pull something like that on me.

"You are terrible!" I yelled, smacking at his arm.

He merely laughed at this, continuing to roll around on the floor with me as the others watched, laughing at us. Darry just sat on the couch though, a hand over his face. He was still red and it didn't help when Dally opened his mouth.

"Man, I bet that'd be a real turn on in the bedroom, huh?" Dally nudged, making Darry's face go red.

"Damnit Dallas!" Darry yelled, pushing him away.

I never understood why the guys liked to torment us so much. They seriously got kicks out of doing it and it annoyed me to no end.

"Got ya!" Two-Bit announce, finally pinning me to the ground.

"Get off!" I yelled, kicking at him.

It did me little good though.

"Hey, Stevie, grab me that bra would ya?" Two-Bit chuckled.

"Oh, hell no!" I screamed, trying to squirm my way out.

Before I knew it, the bra was pressed to my front on top of my shirt, my face beat red.

"Would you get off a her!" Darry groaned, pulling him off of me.

After that, I slapped Two-Bit, but he just laughed it not. I knew he'd never be hurt by something like that, especially after what he'd done. He'd just laugh it off like always.

"Man, I wish I were you Dar, getting to see all that," Two-Bit howled with laughter.

I swear, my face was so red that I stomped off upstairs to our room, burying my face in the pillow. I had never been so embarrassed.

T

Darry watched as Abigail ran up the steps, her face redder than ever. If he had to take a guess, then he'd say that she'd never been that embarrassed in her entire life. Being around the gang didn't help matters either. He still couldn't believe that Two-Bit had given her such a gift. Something like that was only used for one thing and one thing only, private matters. That in itself made his face heat up. Yes, Abigail had gotten him a pair of boxers, but that was acceptable in his mind. What wasn't acceptable was someone giving Abigail something like Two-Bit had done. Darry wouldn't even do something like that to her, not in a million years. Not to mention, suggestive underwear was the last thing he needed to be imagining her in. Last thing he needed was her killing him for it. The whole thing was embarrassing for both of them, not just her.

"I oughta knock your heads in," Darry told them, standing up from the couch and walking up the stairs after her.

"Two-Bit, why'd you have to do that to her?" Ponyboy asked, looking up from his new book.

"Come on, you gotta admit it was funny," Two-Bit laughed.

"That may be, but still. I think that was a bit much, putting her through all of that. I mean, you know how Darry is about that stuff," Pony told him.

"Oh, come on, he needs to live a little," Two-Bit complained.

"Yeah. Besides, it's not like he was doing any harm by it. Just embarrassed her is all," Soda chuckled.

Even as he did this, Soda still knew that Ponyboy was right. Two-Bit really had no right doing that to Abigail after everything that she'd done for them. He also knew for a fact that Darry didn't appreciate being put in a situation like that. Darry was modest with things, he had more manners than the rest of them at times. Darry also respected Abigail far too much put up with something like that. After all, he loved her a lot, and that was something that Soda was all too aware of.

T

"Abigail?" I heard Darry call from the doorway.

My face was still buried in the pillow and I was unwilling to look him in the eye. I was just too embarrassed.

"You okay?" he asked, walking toward me, his footsteps echoing lightly against the walls.

"I'm fine," I mumbled, trying to stay hidden.

"Look at me," he said softly, sitting down beside me.

I just shook my head, still laying there on my stomach.

"Please?" he begged.

I swear, begging definitely did not suit him at all, not one bit. So with that, I pulled my face out of the pillow, looking over at him.

"You're red as a cherry," he pointed out, running his hand lightly over my cheek.

"I hate them," I muttered, plopping my face back down against the pillow.

"They can be a pain," Darry agreed.

"I just don't understand why he did that to me," I groaned, replaying the whole thing over in my head.

It was down right terrible. Two-Bit got a kick out of everything and this time, Eden had helped him with it. They seemed to think that the whole thing was just one big joke or something, but it wasn't, far from it. I wasn't comfortable with the idea that they were trying to put on. Yes, I loved Darry, loved being around him, even slept in the same bed as him, but still. What they did, that was going too far.

"Neither do I," Darry breathed. "Just to let you know though, I really didn't mind the boxers you gave me," he told me, putting me in a bit of a better mood.

"Really?" I asked, turning over onto my side to look at him.

"Really," he nodded, leaning forward and pressing his lips to mine in a soft sweet kiss.

I then wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him just a bit closer as he moved to hover over me, putting most of his weight on his elbows.

"How is it, that you always put me in a better mood?" I asked, pressing my lips to his.

"I don't know," he admitted after a moment, caressing my cheek gently.

I closed my eyes at this, enjoying the feeling of his touch.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, pressing his lips to mine once more. "So beautiful," he murmured.

Hearing those words flow from his lips tugged at me, tugging a small smile on my face. Unlike others who had said that at times, Darry's words were pure and meaningful, touching my soul. He was sincere about the whole thing.

"You really think so?" I whispered, running a hand through his hair.

"Of course," he smiled, capturing my lips with his again in a spine tingling kiss.

I swear, the things this man did to me. If only he knew. Then again, I had a feeling that he might know because there was a chance that I did the exact same thing to him.

After a few more minutes, we heard the door push open, and before we knew it Sparky was on top of us.

"Sparky!" I groaned, feeling Darry's full weight on top of me now.

It didn't help because Sparky was probably about an extra 80 to 90 pounds.

"Get off," Darry groaned, trying to sit up.

This did him little good as Sparky laid there licking the back of Darry's neck. The bed wasn't exactly the easiest thing to push off on with Sparky on his upper back.

"Soda!" Darry yelled, turning his head away from my ear as best he could.

Within minutes, Soda was standing in front of the doorway, his face betraying his emotions. He thought it was funny as heck, Darry laying there on top of me with Sparky keeping us there. Personally, it was uncomfortable. Honestly, I could stand Darry's weight on top of me, but not what Sparky added to it.

"Oh, so you won't let me join, but you'll let the dog join?"

"Soda," Darry warned. "Get him off."

"Nah, I kinda like the look of this," he grinned.

"Darry, can you move an inch to your left?" I asked quietly.

He nodded after a moment, dragging himself to the left, his chest pressing against mine. I then reached my hand out, gripping the base of Sparky's tail and tugged. He whined a few times, but finally got off, allowing Darry to jump up and run after Soda. I just sat there on the bed looking down at Sparky, while at the same time rubbing my chest.

"Man, that hurt," I groaned.

It wasn't until I heard a chair being knocked over downstairs that I got up, carefully walking down the stairs. I was met by Darry and Soda wrestling around.

"Hey! If we're gonna do that, then take it outside," I told then, pointing toward the door.

This gave Soda just enough time to get away from Darry and run up the stairs passed me to his room. I could already see where this was going and walked back into our room, moving to grab another pair of sweatpants. If there was going to be a fight outside, then I was going to be warm.

T

"Come on, get him!" Two-Bit cheered, pumping his fist in the air.

"You can do it Soda!" Steve called out, a grin on his face.

Lord have mercy, these guys were nuts.

Darry and Soda were going at it just like they had inside, wrestling around in the snow. It was definitely a sight, that was for sure.

"So, who do you thinks gonna win man?" Dally asked, coming up behind me.

I jumped as his sudden presence, shoving him.

"Don't scare me like that," I groaned, turning back toward the little wrestling match. "I don't know, Darry probably," I shrugged, rubbing my arms for warmth.

Even with boots, two pairs of socks, two pairs of sweatpants, a sweater, and a jacket, I was still cold. I even had a hat on along with gloves. Sadly enough, most of the stuff was Darry's, if not all of it. I still hadn't gotten around to restocking what little clothes that I had, but I knew I'd have to do it soon.

"Hey!" Darry cried, causing me to look his way.

Two-Bit had just gotten him in the face with a snowball, the cold biting at his skin. Two-Bit merely laughed at this, holding his gut. He thought everything was funny for some reason. Then, just as I was getting ready to say something, I was tackled to the ground. When I looked, Soda was on top of me, knocking my hat off of my head.

"Get off!" Darry told him.

"Fine, but first," he didn't even finished his sentence, before putting snow down the back of my sweater, causing me to scream and push him off.

Unfortunately for him, I accidentally got him on the cheek, but he just rubbed it and laughed.

"I hate you guys!" I cried, shivering as I tried to shake it out.

Everyone was laughing at this, putting me in a sour mood to the point that I picked up some snow and threw it at Two-Bit, hitting him right in the face.

"War!" Steve cried out, scooping up snow and throwing it.

It didn't take long after that for snowballs to start flying all over the place. I found myself ducking behind one of the cars in an attempt at safety, before being chased out by Steve. Man could he throw.

"Hey, Abby!"

I turned toward Pony's voice, only to get a snowball in the face, watching Darry tackle him afterward in a headlock.

"Come on, Darry!" Pony cried, trying to get free.

That only happened after Darry was tackled by Soda, all three boys rolling around with Soda and Pony trying to get at Darry. I couldn't help, but to laugh at this, a smile on my face.

"Hey, Winters!"

"Huh?"

I got ready to turn around, only to be picked up by Steve, a squeal escaping my lips.

"Steve, put me down!" I yelled, squirming in his arms.

"Hey, guys, free for all!" Steve grinned, keeping hold of me.

My eyes went wide as snowballs came flying my way, hitting me all over the place.

"Let go!" I cried, elbowing him in the gut.

He let go after that, allowing me to drop to the snowy ground on my butt. I then threw my leg out and tripped him, watching him fall to the ground. After that, I tackled him, shoving snow in his face. I didn't get very far though, before we were both wrestling around. Just like the others, he had the upper hand because he was stronger than me, ending up in me being pinned.

"Got ya!" he grinned, shoving snow in my face in revenge.

"Darry!" I cried, trying to push him off.

It didn't take long, before Darry grabbed Steve and tossed him into the snow, pulling me up into his arms. It felt so much better than the cold ground, the snow already soaking into my clothes.

"Get 'em!" Soda exclaimed, helping with an assault of snowballs being thrown upon us.

Darry wrapped his arms around me immediately, holding me close as he turned his back to them, his back being pummeled instead.

"Hey, Dally, heads up!" Steve called, throwing a snowball in his face.

"Alright, that's it!" he yelled, leaning down and scooping up a handful of snow.

Man, he was pissed.

T

After hours and countless snowballs later, we were back inside. The gang had stayed over for diner which had consisted of ham, beans, mashed potatoes, and pie. We'd even had hot chocolate to drink. At this point though, the others had gone home, leaving behind only the residents of the meant Darry, Soda, Pony, Eden, and myself. It also left me and Darry to ourselves in our room.

"I'm still cold," I breathed, rubbing my arms.

Even after being out of the cold air and snow, I could still feel it and it was driving me nuts.

"Come here," Darry chuckled, gesturing me over with a finger.

I walked over to him, allowing him to take me into his arms, feeling him wrap them around me. I felt myself leaning against him, soaking up the warmth that he was putting out and enjoying it.

"Mmm..." I breathed, resting my cheek against his chest.

I felt his hand moving up and down my back, rubbing it. The feeling itself was soothing, putting me at ease. There was no doubt that I'd sleep easy tonight.

"You like that, don't you?" he asked, a gentle smile pulling onto his face.

I nodded my head, closing my eyes as I stood there in his arms, merely listening to the sound of his heartbeat. It was something so simple, something so common, but listening to this sent of wave of peace washing over me. It was more comforting than he knew, letting me know that I wasn't alone. He then gave me a small squeeze, before pulling away, leaving me confused.

"I have something for you," he told me, moving over to his nightstand.

I watched as he pulled out a small box with a ribbon tied around it, holding it in his hand. He then came back over to me, placing it in my hands.

"What's this?" I asked, my brows furrowing as I looked up at him.

He'd already gotten me a new jacket, so I wasn't exactly expecting anything else.

"Just open it," he told me, nudging me, before sitting down on the edge of the bed.

I sat down beside him, before tugging at the ribbon, watching it fall away from the box and onto my lap. I then tore off the little bit of paper that had been wrapped around it. I looked over a Darry once more, biting by bottom lip.

"Go on," he chuckled.

That was all the encouragement I needed to open the lid, but when I did, I found myself at a loss.

"Darry?"

I tilted my head to the side, not sure what to make of the object inside of the box. It was obvious what it was; his class ring. That was beside the point though. I saw the slightly nervous look on his face as if he wasn't completely sure of himself.

"Well, I figured that after everything we'd been through, it was only right to give that to you. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, will you wear my ring around your neck?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

I didn't say anything at first, merely wrapping my arms around his neck. This was definitely wasn't what I was expecting, but I knew that coming from Darry, this was big. His class ring was something special with significant meaning, possibly something short of proposing, which of course would have made me just a bit nervous to say the least. Not that I'm saying I'd reject him if he were to ask, but it'd still be a big leap for me.

"Of course I will," I smiled, pulling back to press my lips to his.

I felt his lips twitch into a smile against mine, his hand coming up to the back of my head, pulling me a bit closer. This was the time with him that we were both looking for, just the two of us alone, the kids asleep. We'd be able to lay there together without interruption or anything. This was definitely a Christmas that I'd remember for years to come, one of the best that I'd ever had.

"I love you Darry," I whispered, running a hand through his hair as I laid back on the bed, allowing him to crawl up along side me.

"I love you too," he smiled, pulling me against him.

I laughed lightly at this, kissing him once more as I allowed my arms to wrap around his neck, while his went around my waist. At this point, I was more than comfortable.

**Yay! Chapter 34 if finally out and it's a lot longer! I really do hope that everyone liked it? Please let me know what your favorite part was? Also, don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/ story. I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK! It helps me write and keeps me happy. Anyway, thanks everyone and if you have ANY IDEAS please let me know.**


	35. Ch 35: The Name's Roger

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 35**

**The Name's Roger**

A month went by and the kids were back to school of course. New Year's had been kind of interesting I guess. I'd ended up sharing a drink with Darry, while Two-Bit had gotten drunk off of beer. I'd even made my New Year's resolution with the rest of them. It wasn't anything special really, but it was still important to me. My resolution was to make things better and finally break away from my past and live in the present. I'd drop the worries, the bad memories, I'd live better and happier. That was my New Year's resolution. Darry's had been to make us part of the family, but in my mind, he did that by taking the pictures on Christmas. Now, on the mantel piece sat the newest additions. It was a picture with the whole gang, including Eden and myself. Unfortunately, Johnny couldn't be in it of course. Soda had also placed a picture of just Eden and me next to their last family portrait. There was even a picture of just me and Darry in each others arms, Darry standing behind me with his arms wrapped around me, a smile on both our faces. We even had a second one framed and placed in our room. It nearly made me cry when they were brought home because it signified that we were apart of the family, that we truly had a place in that house together with them.

I kept thinking about this stuff as I wiped down tables at the diner. I'd taken the morning shift because I was planning on visiting Johnny today at the hospital. He was slowly getting better and was now allowed to be pushed around the hospital in a wheelchair, but he still wasn't ready to leave. Sadly, the doctors still kept saying that he'd never walk again, but I wasn't going to let myself believe that. Johnny didn't deserve any of this, not a bit. He was a sweet kid that just needed a chance in life. I suppose that's also another reason why I'd been talking to Darry about making an addition to the house, that way we had an extra room. One thing that I knew though was that I'd help Johnny walk again, if it was the last thing I ever did.

"Hey, Abigail, I got a question for ya," Joe started.

"Sure, what is it?" I asked, sitting down on one of the stools.

"What's with that chain around your neck," he asked, giving me a curious look. "You've been wearing it since Christmas," he pointed out, propping an elbow on the counter as he looked over at me.

I felt my face heat up slightly as I dug it out of my shirt. Darry's ring was on the chain. In fact, I never took it off, it was always around my neck. The only reason why I kept it tucked in my shirt most of the time was so that it wasn't out swinging around as I worked.

"Well, actually, Darry gave me his ring," I told him, holding it in the palm of my hand.

"You're kiddin me?" he chuckled, before clapping his hands together. "Well, good for him," he smiled. "But remember, he has to come to me first before askin to marry you," he reminded me, a grin on his face.

"Joe, stop it," I laughed.

"I'm serious. If I've said it once, I'll say it again, you're the daughter I never had," he announced, grabbing a plate from the window and setting it down in front of me. "Now, stop arguing and eat so you can get out of here and see that little friend of yours."

T

After I was done eating I left work, a paper bag in my hand. It was food for Johnny, I'd had Joe make it just before leaving. It wasn't much, just a sandwich and a bottle of Coke, but I figured he'd like it better than the hospital food at least.

Once I got to the hospital, I signed in and headed upstairs to Johnny's room. When I walked in, I found him laying there on the bed, his head laid back on the pillow.

"Knock, knock," I greeted, knocking lightly on the doorframe.

I saw his face light up the moment he saw me, pushing himself up as best he could.

"Abby," he choked out, a smile pulling onto his face.

"Hey there kid, how ya doin?" I asked walking over to the bed and pulling up a chair.

"Better now that you're here," he told me.

"Here, let me help you," I said, grabbing hold of him and pulling him into a better sitting position for which he thanked me afterward. "I brought you some food."

"Thanks."

"No problem kid. So, how have things been?" I asked, sitting down in my chair after handing him the paper bag.

"Well, my mom tried visiting again..." he whispered, looking down at the sandwich in his hands.

I knew he didn't like his mother very much. All she ever did was yell at him all the time, downing him, tell him he wasn't worth the dirt he walked on.

"She wasn't drunk again was she?" I asked carefully.

His silence was enough of an answer, causing me to sigh.

"I'm sorry Johnny," I said, placing a hand on his arm.

He looked over at me with a sad look in his eyes. He looked broken, tugging my heart strings like always.

"I wish I could just stay with you guys," he muttered. "I can't go back there."

He was right about one thing, he couldn't go back there. If he went back there like he was now. I couldn't bare to think of what would happen if he did that. At least before all this stuff happened, he could get up and get around, run even. Not anymore though. No, he was stuck in a wheelchair. So, with that in mind, I bit my lip.

"Johnny, I've been thinking about something," I told him, rubbing the back of my neck.

It was the only thing that I could think of.

"I've been talking to Darry about adding another room to the house," I started, leaning forward in my seat. "I'll have more leeway in a few months when I'm 21, but... Well, I've been thinking."

I was kind of nervous about voicing my thoughts, but I had to think of Johnny and what was best for him. He couldn't keep living a life that was deadly to his wellbeing.

"What would you say if I got custody of you?" I finally managed to ask.

I watched for a moment as he sat there silently, not really saying a word. He licked his lips for a moment, opening his mouth to speak before closing it again.

"A-are you s-serious?" he asked, afraid that I might be kidding.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"You mean...y-you'd really do that?" he stammered, hand shaking slightly.

"Mmhm."

That was all he needed to hear, before tears started falling. I went straight into comfort mode, standing up and hugging him.

"Hey, it's alright," I whispered, holding him in my arms.

I felt him grip my shirt, tears soaking into it. He was a sensitive kid with far too much on his plate, the least I could do was lessen the load.

"I promise, I won't give up on you," I whispered, rubbing his back.

"Y-you mean it? Y-ya really m-mean it?" he asked, trying to stop the tears.

"With every fiber of my being," I promised, keeping him close.

We pulled back after a few minutes of this, his eyes now red and puffy. I gave him a small smile as I brushed his bangs out of his face. The kid really needed another haircut.

"Thanks Abby," he sniffed, wiping his nose.

I grabbed a tissue after that, handing it to him. He took it gratefully, blowing his nose.

"Man, the guys would never let me live it down if they saw me like this," he spoke quietly.

"Hey, don't you worry about them none," I told him, giving his shoulder a small squeeze. "They try anything, I'll take care of them," I assured him.

"Why is it you're so nice?" Johnny suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Just what I said, why you so nice. I mean, I ain't gotta be your problem, but here ya are trying to take care of me," he started. "Why do you care so much?" he asked curiously.

"Someones gotta," I said quietly, brushing a bit of hair out of my face. "Sides, how could I live with myself, leaving a guy like you all by your lonesome?" I asked, a smile pulling at my lips as I tried to change the subject.

To be honest, I just didn't like seeing anyone suffer, especially when that person didn't deserve it. I wasn't going to say that I didn't deserve what I went through because I couldn't really change anything, but Eden didn't deserve it. I could take care of myself, I was old enough. Johnny didn't deserve to get beat up all the time. Eden didn't deserve to lose her mother, just like Darry and his brothers didn't deserve to lose their parents. Like me, Darry was trying to take it all in stride, even if he was hurting on the inside. Neither of us could let the ones around us fend for themselves though, we had to take care of them, and that's what I was going to do for Johnny. I know that it'd be hard having someone else to take care of, but I wouldn't let Johnny end up in a home somewhere else, he wouldn't stand a chance. I'd take care of him, just like I'd been doing for Eden all these years.

Before too long, I heard a commotion outside. It was something that I'd only heard a few times, but that was all that it had taken.

"Let me see my boy! Let me see my son!" I heard a woman scream.

"My god..." I groaned, getting up and shutting the door.

I knew for a fact that Johnny wanted nothing to do with his mother or father. All she ever did was yell at him, but I wouldn't let that happen while I was around. I was about ready to sit down when the door flew open, his mother standing there with a scowl on her face.

"Who the hell are you?" she spat, glaring at me.

"I could ask you the same question," I said, eyeing her carefully.

I never did like this women. After all, why would I when she treated Johnny so badly and got drunk all the time.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to see my son," she scowled.

"I'm sorry, but I think you should leave," I said simply, coming to stand in front of the bed, blocking her view of Johnny.

At the same time, I gave Johnny a gesture to hit the call button on his bed. This woman needed to leave.

"I came to see my son," she said, stumbling toward me.

It was obvious that she'd already had a few to drink and it wasn't even five o'clock.

"What's going on in here?" I heard a nurse ask.

She'd obviously responded to Johnny's call button, walking into the room.

"Yes, this woman needs to be escorted out of her before she does anymore harm. She's both drunk and delusional," I informed her, staring Johnny's mother down.

As usual the woman glared at me.

"He's my son! I want to see my son!" she exclaimed, moving to grab me.

Lord, she really saw drunk.

"Someone call security!" the nurse called down the hallway, attempting to grab ahold of her.

"Get off of me!" she screamed, shoving the nurse away.

T

In the end, I ended up with a couple of scratches on my face from Johnny's mom. I hadn't exactly wanted to leave him after all of that, but I had to get home and help Darry fix dinner. So, I had said my goodbyes and headed home, taking the bus back. The whole way back, I felt this nagging at the back of my mind like something was wrong. I hoped that I didn't end up regretting leaving Johnny at the hospital. The first chance that I got, I was taking him home with me. Of course, Darry's truck needed to be fixed first. For the past week, we've been without the truck. Darry wasn't exactly sure what was wrong with it, but according to Steve and Soda, it had something to do with the engine. They'd promised to get it fixed, but hadn't had the chance yet.

I got off when the bus came to a stop, nodding to the bus driver before leaving. The man tipped his hat in response, allowing me to leave. I then walked down the street and into our neighborhood, pulling my jacket tighter around myself as I shiver, tugging my gloves once or twice.

"Man, I can't wait til things heat up again," I muttered, popping my collar.

From what I knew, Eden should be home by now. Although, I wasn't exactly sure about Ponyboy. There was a possibility that he'd stopped somewhere with Two-Bit after school and hadn't gotten home yet, but at least Sparky would be there.

"Anybody home!" I called, walking in through the front door.

"I'm upstairs!" Eden yelled.

"Where's Darry?" I asked, walking into the kitchen.

"I don't know, I think he went out for groceries half a hour ago," she said, coming to stand at the top of the stairs.

"Where's Sparky?"

"Up here keepin me company," she grinned.

I just sighed and shook my head, walking back into the kitchen.

"The hell happened to you?" she asked.

"Watch your mouth," I warned, rummaging through the cabinet.

I pulled out a few spices, along with some flower for biscuits.

"Well?" she raised an eyebrow as she came downstairs, placing her hands on her hips.

"I went to the hospital to see Johnny and had a run in with his mom," I told her. "Why don't you see what's on the TV? I'm gonna set the table."

I heard her grumble something under her breath, but ignored it, going back to what I was doing. About half way through setting the table, there was a knock on the door, alerting me to someone outside.

"Eden, get the door please?" I asked, walking back into the kitchen for another glass.

A moment later, I heard cry out, causing me to walk back into the dining room.

"Daddy!" she screamed happily.

I felt my eyes widen at this, turning my eyes toward the man that was now inside our house. I felt the glass in my hand fall to the floor and shatter, my hand shaking. He wasn't supposed to be here. I was never supposed to see him again after he ran off.

"Abigail Lee," he breathed my name, his voice sickly sweet to my ears. "It's been far too long sweetheart," he smiled.

I stood my ground, my feet not willing to move.

"Daddy, I knew you'd come back for me," Eden cried, hugging the man tightly.

I felt myself shake even more as I watched him wrap his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace. He then looked around him.

"You know, I came back a while ago, but when I went to the house there was nothing there," he explained, walking over to the mantel place.

I felt like I was suffocating in the air around me, like the air itself was on fire, burning me from the inside out.

"Although, it looks like you found a new home," he mused, picking up one of the picture frames. "You married now Abs?" he asked, looking at the picture of me and Darry.

Eden laughed at this.

"Nope," she answered for me, not realizing the shape I was in.

"Who's this then?" he asked, gesturing toward the picture he held in his hand.

"That's just Darry, he's her boyfriend," she explained, hugging his arm.

"And how long have you been _staying_ with this man?" he asked, a hidden question in his words.

"G-get out," I choked out.

"It's just a question," he chuckled, placing the frame back on the mantel, his finger deliberately tracing over Darry's face.

This made me stiffen.

"He didn't give you those scratches on your face did he?" he asked, walking toward me with false concern.

"S-stay back!" I choked out, finally stepping backward.

I watched a small smirk form on his face. He may be sober, but he still got satisfaction out of it.

"I want you out of this house!" I cried.

"What's wrong with you?" Eden asked, not understanding what was going on.

I didn't even hear the backdoor open as I yelled again, hands shaking.

"I said get out, you have no right being here!"

"But I just wanted to see my girls again," he told me, giving Eden a squeeze.

"Abigail, what's going on?" Darry asked, walking into the dining room behind me.

He stopped when he saw the man standing in the living room.

"Who are you?" Darry asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"You must be Darry," he smiled, coming to walk closer, causing me to back into Darry's chest. "The names Roger. I see you've been taking care of my girls."

"You're..."

"Her father," he answered, a smile on his face.

"I'm sorry _Roger_, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. My brother will be coming home soon and we need to fix diner," Darry said, trying to be discrete.

I could still feel myself shaking as I stood there, feeling Darry's hands on my arms keeping me steady.

"I guess I'll get going then," he nodded.

"What, but you just got here," Eden cried, holding onto his hand.

"I know sweetheart, but I'll see you soon, I promise," he smiled, ruffling her hair. "I'll see you soon, Leelee."

"Bye," I choked out, my nails biting into my palm at this point.

We then watched as he walked back out the door, leaving the house. The moment he did, I went over to the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I then fell to my knees against the corner of the wall, gripping my head in my hands. This couldn't be happening, this just couldn't be happening.

T

"Eden, why don't you go upstairs and finish your homework?" Darry suggested, looking toward the bathroom where Abigail had gone.

Surprisingly, she complied, going back upstairs to her room. The moment she did, he went over to the phone, picking it up and dialing Dally's number. He just hoped he was still there, but knowing that he was likely still sleeping off a hangover, he figured there'd be no problem. After a few minutes of pointless arguing with Buck, Dally was finally put on the phone, his voice groggy.

"Darrel, what is it man?" Dally asked.

"We've got a problem," Darry started. "It's Abigail."

This seemed to catch Dally's attention, waking him up.

"What happened man? What happened to Abby?" he asked forcefully.

"Look, just get over here alright? I'll explain everything then," Darry told him, looking back toward the bathroom.

He could hear the sound of her choking sobs from where he was. She was undoubtedly having a breakdown and he needed the guys here or at least a certain few anyway. To be honest, he wasn't sure how he was going to handle this one.

"Swing by and grab Soda would ya?" Darry asked.

"Yeah, sure man. I'll be there soon."

With that, Dally hung up, leaving Darry standing there with a hand combed through his hair. He just hoped he could fix this one. If not, he wasn't sure what would become of her.

**Chapter 35! I hope that everyone liked it? Abigail's dad is finally back. Please, don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feeling on this chapter/ story. I'd really LOVE to hear FEEDBACK from everyone on this chapter. Thanks everyone!**


	36. Ch 36:A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 36**

**A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words**

"Abigail?" Darry called hesitantly.

She didn't answer though, merely uttering a choking sound.  
"Abigail?" his voice was soft, careful as pushed open the bathroom door.

He found her on the floor in the corner, knees pulled up to her chest and hands clutching her head. She looked terrible, down right terrible.

"Abigail," he whispered, falling to his knees in front of her.

Tears were staining her face and her shoulders were shaking. She was scared. His ring hung low on her neck, brushing her shirt as she shook.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay," he cooed, gently taking her face in his hands.

It was obvious how hard it was for her to look at him at the moment, with her eyes shifting around. She was jumpy.

T

"Hey, Soda, get in," Dally ordered, pulling up to the DX in Buck's car.

He'd decided to borrow it again in order to hurry things up. If something was seriously wrong with Abigail, he wasn't going to sit around with his thumb up his butt. Plus, it was cold out and he didn't feel like walking.

"Huh? You gotta be kiddin me Dal, I'm workin here," Soda told him, tugging on his jean jacket a bit as a gust of wind come through.

"I said get in," Dally pushed, putting the car in park.

"Dal, just go home already and leave us be," Steve groaned, wiping his hands on his jeans.

"Look, I said get in, your brother's orders," Dally told him. "Somethin happened over at your house and he wants you home."

"What? What happened?" Soda asked, his brows furrowing together.

"I don't know, something with Abby. Now, get in," he growled, getting annoyed with having to explain himself so much.

It only took a moment for Soda to process this, before climbing into the passengers side.

"I'll see ya later Steve," Soda waved.

"Ya, see ya later," Steve called, waving over his shoulder.

T

"H-he's not s-supposed to be here," Abigail cried, gripping Darry's shirt.

Her hands were still shaking as she held onto him, her face buried against the fabric.

"H-he c-can't b-be here," she choked out, letting herself fall against him as he held her in his arms, keeping her close and safe.

"It's gonna be alright," he whispered, his left hand cradling the back of her head, while the other rested against her back.

"I-it can't...h-he can't..." she couldn't even finish her sentence.

"Darry?"

It was Soda. He'd just come inside with Dally on his heels, Pony and Two-Bit climbing out of the car. Dally had found them and picked them up on the way to the house, not wanting to leave them out there when there was apparently something majorly wrong at home.

"Darry?" Soda called again, walking toward the dining room.

Darry didn't say anything, merely grabbing the closest thing to him and throwing it out of the bathroom to get their attention. It did it's job and within seconds, Soda and Dally were standing in the doorway of the bathroom.

"What...?" Soda wasn't sure what to make of what was going on, but his face held a look of worry and concern upon it, his eyes searching around between the two on the floor.

"What's goin on?" Two-Bit asked, walking toward the bathroom.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he found Abigail a shaking mess in Darry's arms.

"Two-Bit, go upstairs and keep Eden there," Darry managed to say, trying his best to comfort the crying woman in his arm.

"Y-yeah, alright," Two-Bit nodded, slowly making his way up the stairs, stopping at the top to look down at them before entering Eden's room.

"So, ya mind tellin me what the hell's goin on man?" Dally finally asked.

They watched Darry's face harden for a moment, before turning toward them, his arms curling around Abigail just a bit more.

"Her father's back, he was just here a while ago," he spoke softly, watching Dally's face turn to one of confusion.

"The hecks her old man got to do with anything?" Dally asked, voicing both his and Soda's question.

This time, Darry bit his lip, biting until the faint taste of cooper met his tongue. He looked down at Abigail, who had her nails into his shirt. How was he supposed to tell the guys what he knew, how was he supposed to do that to her? He'd already said that he wouldn't. Then, right as he was getting ready to open his mouth, she snapped.

"I-I can't...I can't do this!" she said, her voice cracking as she pushed Darry away, going to stand.

He sat there watching her as he gripped her head, thoughts running rampant through her mind. Now, he knew he had to do something, whether he liked it or not he'd have to tell them. Otherwise, she wouldn't have a chance.

"I'm sorry," she choked out, quickly moving out of the bathroom. "J-just do what you want, I-I don't care anymore," she said, relaying this to Darry.

He knew what she meant when she said that, giving him the okay to fill them in. Right now, her mind couldn't process it enough to tell them herself, even if she wanted to. She then went into the kitchen, going out back where the cold January, almost February air met her skin.

T

"So, ya mind tellin me what's goin on?" Dally asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

At this point, he was a bit wary, but he knew he had to find out. He had to figure out what was going on, he had to, that way he could do something. The only problem was, Darry didn't know where to begin or if he even could. His mind was still stuck on Abigail, his heart aching from the pain he knew she was in. She was break down bit by bit.

"Pony, go keep an eye on her?" Darry swallowed, slowly standing up from his spot on the floor.

"Sure Dar," Pony spoke softly, making his way out back.

That left only Darry, Dally, and Soda.

"Look, I," Darry started, trying to get his bearings.

He still had no clue where to start. I mean, what was he supposed to say. Oh, her dad's name is Roger, he's the reason she's so messed up? Or maybe he's the one that ran off after beating her so many times out of drunken rage. Where was he to start. Then he remembered, Abigail had mentioned something about a picture once when it was just to two of them the other month. It was a picture of her getting out of the hospital after one of her latest _accidents_ that she passed off as clumsiness.

"Look, just...just say here for a sec?" he asked, moving up the stairs into his room.

He knew where she kept it and even though she might kill him for it later, he still had to do it. He would have rather not gone through it, but it was in her underwear drawer in the corner, his cheeks turning a faint pink as he opened it.

"Get a hold of yourself Darrel," he muttered, shaking his head, before moving garments out of the way.

It didn't take much for him to find the thing buried in the upper lefthand corner of the drawer, the silver shining dully from the soot caked lid. After that, he picked it up in his hand, closing the drawer behind him before going back downstairs. Luckily for him, Dally had stayed where he was, eyeing Darry for a moment once down at the bottom of the step.

"The heck you got that thing for?" Dally asked. "Only thing in it's pictures," he pointed out, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Exactly," Darry sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You ever see all the pictures though?" he asked, turning to look at the two.

They both shook their heads no, looking between each other, before looking down at the little metal tin.

"Then maybe it's time you did," Darry whispered, carefully opening the lid and setting it aside.

He then pulled out all the pictures, setting them on the dining room table for the others to see. Perhaps, now, they would finally understand.

Dally was the first to respond, leaning forward and pushing the pictures around to look at them. Some had her parents in them from what he could tell, some were merely her and her sister. There was even one of her mother holding a baby. Finally, Dally came to the final one, this one making his breath catch.

There was no denying what he saw as he stood there, his nails curling into the wood of the table. The picture he was looking at was a picture of her just outta the hospital almost. Even with that, she still looked banged up, almost as if she'd fallen down stairs or something. If only he knew how close to the truth he was with that one. It was obvious that her arm was broken, a sling holding it in place, and a wrap around her forehead. Honestly, he wasn't sure what to make of it.

"The hell's this?" he asked, his voice getting a bit heated as he stood there.

"It's exactly what it looks like Dallas. That's what her dad does to her," he admitted finally, turning to walk into the kitchen.

"What do ya mean that's what her old man does to her?" Dally asked, following after him, even though he already knew what he meant.

Darry merely stood there by the back door, looking out the window. From where he stood, he couldn't see Abigail or Ponyboy anywhere, making him worry. He was worried how she was handling things, how she was processing everything, how she was trying to hold herself together without completely breaking down into pieces.

"Well?" Dally pressed, raising his voice.

"Keep it down," Darry hissed, quickly looking toward the stairs.

If there was one thing that he knew, then it was that Eden couldn't know about this, not yet anyway.

"Why should I?" Dally glared.

"Because Eden doesn't know," Darry pointed out.

"Well, I think the kid's got a right to know what that bastard did. In fact, I'm gonna go get her," he said, moving toward the stairs.

In seconds, Darry had him by the arm, pulling him outside and leaving Soda standing there with the picture in his hand.

"Now, you listen here Winston. Did you not see the shape she was in?" he asked, pointing down the street where he figured his brother was. "Did you not notice how much of a wreck she was, how much she was breaking down?" Darry choked out.

"Of course I did man," Dally spat in annoyance, before shoving the man in front of him.

"Well, what do you think would happen if Eden were to find out about this right now? Huh? What do you think it would do to Abigail?" he cried, getting more frustrated by the moment. "She'd break Dal," Darry told him.

"The kid has a right to know," Dally fumed.

"That may be true, but Abigail's been trying to protect her from facing that all these years. Do you really want to destroy what she's tried so hard to do? Do you really wanna she her crash and burn because I sure don't," he hissed, feeling his hand shake.

Darry loved Abigail so much, he gave her every bit of his heart. There was no way he could just stand by and watch her crash like that. He couldn't let her break like that. It was true that Eden had a right to know what kind of person her father really was, but it she were to find out now, that would be the end of it all. He knew that Abigail wouldn't be able to handle it, not in the state that she was in now. She'd held up for so long, but now that was compromised because a man decided to show up at there door step with a hello, wanting to see his _family_ again. Possibly even wanting it back.

"Of course I don't wanna see her crash and burn, why would I?" Dally yelled.

"Then it means keeping your mouth shut Dallas. Otherwise, it'd be like putting a gun to her head."

That's when it hit him. It hit Dally like a ton of bricks, reminding him of when she'd run off to find him just to make sure that he didn't do anything stupid. He'd had his gun with him then, even made a comment on wishing he had a bullet. She'd come so close to smacking him for that one. Sure, he'd had it hard, but so had she. He came to understand that that night, but even more so now. Now, he knew the truth behind the rage that night, the pain behind it all. Like him, she'd wanted to give up on life before, and now she was being pushed once more. It was like having everything thrown back in her face. All the hard work, the suffering, everything.

_Think about all the crap I've been through?_

Her words from that night echoed in his head. It was then that he finally broke away, quickly walking down the street behind the house. He could see her in the distance, sitting there on the ground with her back against a bit of fence, her hands gripping her head as she cried. Ponyboy just stood there watching her, feeling his oneself become shaken. The kid didn't know what to do.

"Move," Dally breathed, walking passed Ponyboy and over to Abigail.

Darry watched the whole thing from the back driveway, watching as Dally fell to his knees in front of her, carefully taking her into his arms. It wasn't something that they normally saw, the warmer side of Dallas Winston. Dally had come to have a bit of a soft spot for her to a degree though and it was obvious that in a way, she held the last bits of his sanity together as strange as the thought might sound. At times, no one really thought that Dallas was sane anymore, but you never know. After all, in a way, Abigail held everyone together. She sure held Darry together, that he knew for a fact. She was also helping keep his family together as well.

T

Inside the house, Eden was talking up a storm, telling Two-Bit all about her father. She was just so happy that he was back. She'd waited so long to see him again and now he was finally back. She always knew that he'd come back, always. She didn't understand why Abigail was so mad at him. All he had done was come say hi and ask questions. It wasn't like he'd ever done anything wrong to either of them. Yeah, he up and left for a few years, but they had gotten by and Eden knew he likely had his reasons. Even with all that though, she still couldn't understand her sister. Unfortunately though, all that Two-Bit knew was what Eden had told him, that he'd come to the house and said hi. He'd asked some questions and then Abigail started acting _weird_. Although, regardless what he knew at the moment, Two-Bit still knew that there was more to it than what Eden was saying. At least on Abigail's end anyway.

"I'm sure she was just surprised to see him, that's all," Two-Bit tried, trying to defend his friend.

"She's weird anyway," Eden said off handedly.

"She's not that bad,"Two-Bit chuckled, trying to keep his mind off of things.

"The hell she isn't," she grumbled.

"Hey now, careful," he chided, shaking a finger at her.

She just rolled her eyes at him for this, shaking her head. She'd never understand why they all defended her at times, after all, they didn't grow up with her. Yeah, Darry might have gone to school with her, but that didn't mean they had known each other personally. Then there was Ponyboy and Johnny. They hadn't known anything about her until that night at the diner. Nobody really did. She'd always kept to herself, so how would anyone know what she was like save for Eden.

In Eden's mind, Abigail always asked too much. She always wanted her home by a certain time when all Eden really wanted was to hang out with her friends, homework alway had to be done. Of course, her sister always got annoyed when she skipped school with one of her buddies, but it's not like Eden really liked school that much anyway. In fact, she really didn't see the point in it, it was just a bunch of homework and crap. It's not like she even used half the junk that she learned in school. Heck, she didn't even know what she wanted to do when she got out of school.

"Now, there's just somethin I don't get," Two-Bit breathed. "What's up with you and your sister?"  
"I don't know what you mean."

"Sure you do. Why you always fightin and stuff?" Two-Bit asked, sitting on the bed that Sparky was laying on.

"I guess we just don't see eye to eye," she shrugged, skim over a few pages in her book that she was supposed to read for English class.

She really didn't care much, that's why she skimmed. She knew Abigail would get on her for it though if she knew, so hopefully, Two-Bit wouldn't open his mouth and say anything. Then again, he also had a habit of skipping school at times, so it really did matter much to him. That's what she thought anyway.

"You don't seem to care too much about that homework of yours," he commented, leaning back on the bed.

Again, she shrugged, writing something down on a paper sitting on the desk.

"Why is it the moment we switch the conversation from your dad to your sister, you go all quiet?"

"Because there's not much to talk about," Eden told him, turning off the desk lamp and moving toward the door.

Two-Bit was up out of his seat in a heartbeat, quickly grabbing her by the arm.

"W-Wait," he stammered.

She gave him a curious look, glancing down at the hand on her arm.

"Um, let's just stay up here a while longer," he suggested, trying to ease her away from the door.

"But I'm hungry," she said, pulling away, quickly making her way out the door.

"H-hey, wait!" Two-Bit called after her.

It didn't do much good though as she hurried down the stairs, finding Soda by the dining room table. The moment he saw her though, he placed whatever he was holding behind him, tucking it back into the waistband of his pants. His shirt covered it, so even if he were to turn, she wouldn't be able to see it.

"What are you looking at?" she asked, walking toward him.

"Um, nothing?"

She didn't pay much attention to his answer though, looking down at the pictures laying out on the table. She grew angry at this upon seeing them. With the look on her face, Soda was about to say something, but she beat him to it.

"This is why I don't like her! She's always hiding stuff," she yelled, getting angry at the fact she didn't know her sister had held onto some of their pictures without letting her know about it.

"Eden, it's-," Soda wasn't even able to finish his sentence, before she shoved it all off the table in annoyance, the tin and it's lid clattering onto the floor.

"Hey, now, there's no need for that," Two-Bit said, moving to grab her like before.

She merely moved away, walking toward the back door. She'd talk with her sister one way or another.

Both Soda and Two-Bit tried to go after her, but she was out the door quicker than they could say Pepsi-cola.

"Where is she?" Eden asked, walking up to Darry.

"I, uh, Soda!" Darry yelled, turning to find his brother stepping out of the house with Two-Bit behind him.

"D-Darry, I'm, I didn't," Soda stammered, not really sure what to say.

He knew that Eden wasn't supposed to be outside, she wasn't supposed to be anywhere near her sister right now and risk the possibility of find things out.

Eden merely got annoyed at this, walking passed everyone and onto the back street.

"Wait!" they called.

"What!" she screamed in annoyance, turning around to face them.

They all went quiet though as they came to stand near her, looking down the street to find nothing there. This left all of them stunned, even Darry.

**Yay! Chapter 36! I really hope that everyone liked it? Please, let me know what you think about it? Don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, ideas, opinions, and feelings on this chapter/story. I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK. It keeps me HAPPY, helps me WRITE, and KEEPS me WRITING. Anyway, thanks everyone and if you've got ANY IDEAS let me know!**


	37. Ch 37: Life's Never Easy

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 37**

**Life's Never Easy**

The reason why no one had seen anything was because Dally had dragged Abigail off else where. He'd made sure to send Ponyboy back off to the house though, telling him to go around front instead. From there though, Dally had driven Abigail back to Buck's place, carrying her up to his room. She was still a mess though, shaking every now and then. He expected this though. Another reason why Dally had brought her back to his place was to help her calm down to a degree without feeling over crowded. That and he wanted to find out what else had happened between her and her father once she was lucid enough that is. For that though, she'd have to sleep things off, and that's exactly what she did. She slept the entire night in Dally's bed, his arms wrapped around her as he laid with his back against the headboard. He knew that it was the only way to possibly keep her at peace while asleep, especially this time after facing her father for the first time in years.

T

When I woke up, it was with a start. I didn't really remember much of what happened after my father left, save for going outside, but that was about it. That's why I was startled by my surroundings. I'd never been here before, not even knowing where here was. Although, I felt myself calm down when I noticed Dally. I also noticed that his arm was around me, his knee bent up on the bed.

"Dally," I whispered, my voice coming out hoarse and sore.

I wince at the feeling, pinching my eyes shut. This happened every time I ended up crying like I had. In fact, I was actually surprised that I could even talk with being out in the cold as long as I had been. I knew for a fact that I felt like hell though, that, and my head hurt.

"Dal," I croaked, turning as best I could and shaking him a bit.

He finally jumped awake, obviously startled.

"What the..." he stopped when he saw me staring at him, his eyes softening a bit. "You're awake. How ya feelin man?" he asked, letting go of me and straightening his back.

"Like crap," I groaned, bringing my hand to my head and closing my eyes.

"Hey, I'll be right back," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder, before getting up and walking out the door.

As I sat there waiting, I looked around the room. It wasn't very big, only having a dresser and nightstand along with the bed. It had one window though leading to the outside, allowing a bit of light to flood into the dark of the room.

"So, this is how Dallas Winston lives," I whispered to myself, letting out a small yawn.

"Here," Dally said, walking back into the room with a glass of water and a few pills.

I also noticed that he didn't have a shirt on, but it really didn't surprise me much with the way that he was. Still I took the glass from his hand along with the pills. Hopefully, they'd make me feel a bit better.

"It'll help," he assured me, sitting back down next to me on the bed, a creaking sound emitting from it.

"Thanks," I ground out, wincing at the feeling in my throat.

"Pretty bad, huh?" he asked, watching me pop the pills into my mouth, downing them easily with a drink of water.

"Yeah," I croaked. "The water helps though," I told him, rubbing my throat for a moment.

"But, you're feelin better than yesterday though, right?" he asked, leaning back like he had been before.

I nodded quietly, but I still didn't feel that great about it though. Facing my father hadn't been something I"d been looking forward to. I was just glad that I wasn't a nervous wreck like last night, I was actually calm for the most part, just tired.

"Why'd you bring me here?" I asked after a moment, staring down at my glass.

I could see my reflection staring back at me as I sat there. My eyes were red and my hair was a bit messy, but other than that, I looked the same.

"Well," he started, sitting up a bit more, his arm resting over his knee. "I wanted to ask you about something," he said.

I stiffened at his words, not making a sound.

"What exactly happened with you and your old man?" he asked carefully, watching me.

I didn't say anything, merely standing up from the bed, keeping my back to him. I wasn't exactly sure what to say, where to start as I took another drink of water, swallowing it.

"What'd Darry tell you guys?" I asked quietly, wrapping my arms around myself as I stared at the wall in front of me.

"He didn't tell us shit, man," Dally grumbled.

I felt my muscles loosen up a bit at this, but it didn't last long once he continued to speak.

"All he did was show us that picture, man," he pointed out.

"W-what picture?" I choked out.

"The one you didn't want us to see, the one with you all banged up."

I felt my nails curling into my side as I sat there, feeling the breath leaving my lungs.

"Y-you saw that?" I asked, voice low and shaky.

"Yeah..."

I stood there for a moment, eyes closed. I could hear the creaking of the bed behind me, the light padding of feet across the wood floor. I then felt his hand on my shoulder, gripping it lightly, my eyes watering a bit.

"That's why you got so mad when you found me, when I was wishing for a bullet in that gun of mine," he said quietly.

"Life's never easy Dal, never..." I whispered.

"What'd he do to you?" Dally asked quietly.

I had to move away from him for a moment, not to get away from him persay, but to think. Sometimes, it was easier when I was able to walk around a bit.

"He drank," I whispered, rubbing my arm, my fingers brushing over the faded scars on my arms. "He drank a lot after my mom died."

I drew in a breath, before turning toward him for a moment.

"You wouldn't believe the scars I have," I said, the words coming out almost as if it were some sort of joke or play on words, but it wasn't. "I always passed it off as being clumsy," I said, laughing quietly.

"You're not clumsy and we both know it," Dally pointed out.

"But they believed it, so did Eden..."

It was true, that was what I had told Eden and everyone else. I always told them that I was just to clumsy or I'd gotten into a fight with a guy or something else.

"Why'd you do it?" Dally asked after a moment, standing there in front of me.

"What do you mean?"

"Why'd you stay, why didn't you run off?" he asked, a tone of annoyance in his voice as though I should have ran.

"How could I?" I snorted, my face scrunching up slightly.

This seemed to catch his attention, shutting him up for a moment, just long enough for me to speak.

"After all, where would I have gone?" I asked, looking him in the eye.

To be honest, I'd thought of running away a few times when I was younger, but I could never actually get up the nerve to do it. I was always too worried about Eden, worried what might happen if I left her alone with him. I couldn't take the risk of leaving her there with the possibility of him coming home drunk and hurting her. I'd never be able to forgive myself if something like that had ever happened.

"I was eleven when my mother died, sixteen when he left. Either way, I couldn't leave Eden to him," I explained.

"Man, you're one tough broad," Dally muttered, shaking his head. "What happened that night, that picture?" he asked, sitting back down on the edge of the bed.

I placed a hand on my face as I stood there, closing my eyes as my mind wandered back to that night. In fact, that was shortly before he left. It was actually the reason why the picture had been taken or what I considered it as. It was his last time before leaving.

"We got into a fight, he wanted to take Eden away, leave me behind," I whispered. "That night, she was at a friends house for a sleep over. He didn't know about it."

I knew that he'd be drinking that night, so I wasn't going to let her sleep in the house.

"I was...at the top of the stairs as he went through the room, trying to find her. He turned, eyes on fire in a drunken rage... Then he grabbed me."

The whole time, Dally sat there, watching, listening. He never spoke a word while I told my story.

"I...I remember him yelling, screaming at me, demanding to know where she was," I breathed, running a hand through my hair, combing it out a bit. "He was so angry."

_"Where is she! I want to know!"_

"He shook me."

_"Tell me where she is now!"_

_"Or what? Huh? You'll hit me again?"_

"I...I don't remember much after that, except falling down the stairs. Next thing I knew, I was in the hospital," I explained.

"Wait, so he pushed you down the stairs?" he asked, his voice raising a bit.

"Yeah," I nodded, letting out a sigh. "After that, I gave him two options. Either leave or I'd go to the cops."

_"I'm giving you a choice, either leave or I call the cops. You can't hurt me any more and you can't hurt Eden. I won't let you," I told him._

_"You really think you can just kick me out of my home? Run me out?"_

_"I can sure as hell try! Now, either go out or I'm calling the cops and you'll never see either of us again!"_

"So, that's why he left? He'd didn't just up and leave one day like everyone thought," he voiced.

"Yeah, he got smart and he left, I'm just glad it worked," I told him, my voice lower at the end.

I knew that this would confuse him and I was right, watching the look on his face change.

"Wait...so it was a freakin' bluff!" he asked incredulously, obviously annoyed that I'd pull something like that without knowing whether or no it would work.

I laughed at this a bit, shaking my head.

"What else could I have done? I wasn't about to let her be put in a girls home somewhere," I told him, turning to face him head on.

"What are you gonna do now then? Huh?" he asked, staring at me from his spot on the bed.

You see, the problem was, I had no clue. I hadn't planned on ever seeing him again, so there was never a need for such a plan. Now, I had a problem. I couldn't bluff my way out this time. If I made a wrong move, she'd be gone forever, that much I was sure of. Then again, how was I supposed to tell her everything anyway? It's not like she'd believe me if I told her. She'd think I was nuts, calling me clumsy, saying that I just wanted to keep her away from our father and drive him away again. I'd lose her if I did that. The only problem was, short of having another accident and having her walk in on it, there wasn't really much I could do to prove it to her.

"I don't know Dal, I really don't know."

I wasn't willing to give him the chance to take her away from me, I wasn't going to lose her. I was going to protect her the best that I could, with all that I had, even if it killed me...

**Yay! Chapter 37! Anyway, I figured I'd explain that bit of her past for all of those that were curious. She's a strong girl, isn't she? Anyway, please let me know what you think? Don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story. I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK. It helps me write. Also, a HAPPY writer with REVIEWS makes a BETTER writer and KEEPS me writing. Anyway, thanks everybody!**


	38. Ch 38: Smile

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 38**

**Smile**

"I'll see you after work."

"Come on, cheer up."

"Smile."

That's what they had told her the past three weeks. Either Dally would take her to work, either walking her or using Buck's car or it would be Darry or one of the other guys. Two-Bit even skipped school a couple times just to make sure that Abigail got to work alright. After that, they'd go back to doing whatever, while at the same time keeping an eye on things. Although, unfortunately for Darry, things weren't easy. Everyday, he'd watch Abigail slowly going down hill. She tried to put a smile on her face, but he knew that it wasn't real. There was unsurmountable turmoil behind that smile that she held on her face. Thoughts pounding into her being about her father and sister. She wasn't sure what to do. He understood that though, but still, he wished that she'd let it out instead of keeping it to herself.

T

"Miss Winters, could you answer the question, please?" the teacher asked, catching her attention.

"Um..." Eden started, looking around.

All eyes were on her, a few snickers being heard. She then turned to Ponyboy for help, catching his eyes. He mouthed the answer a moment later.

"Hamlet, sir," she said after a moment, hoping Ponyboy had given her the right answer.

"Very good," he nodded, turning back to the black board to write something else down.

She let out a sigh of relief as she sat there, turning her eyes toward Ponyboy and mouthing a thank you.

Truth be told, her mind was on something else, that something being her father. Since his arrival, she'd seen him a few other times during the last three weeks, each putting a smile on her face. She was so happy to have him back. In fact, he'd mentioned taking her with him when he left again, dragging her along instead of leaving her like last time. She nearly screamed with joy when she had heard this, jumping up and down. Abigail was still non the wiser though, having no knowledge of it. In fact, Eden wasn't sure whether to tell her or not, fearing that she'd become jealous because their father was offering to take Eden instead of Abigail. Not that Abigail would go anyway. Eden knew that she'd stay with Darry. She was far too into him to leave at this point. Regardless though, Eden didn't really care about that, she was just happy with the idea of being with her father again. Although, if she were honest with herself, she was actually going to miss having Two-Bit around. The big goof had grown on her in a way, putting a smile on her face with his antics. She wasn't going to miss Steve though, that was for sure. Possibly Ponyboy, but still, at this point the kid was actually tolerable.

T

"Hey, Soda!" Dally called, walking up toward the gas station.

Both boys were standing outside in their DX uniforms, hands all greased up from working on a car. The chill of the afternoon air seeming not to affect them.

"We ain't got no money Dal," Steve told him point blank, messing around with the engine that he was working on.

"Hey, man, whoever said I was lookin for money?" Dally asked, raising his hands defensively.

Steve narrowed his eyes at this, an annoyed look on his face.

"You always want something when you come here," he grumbled, walking away from the car and grabbing his soda, and taking a swig.

"Well, I ain't here for no money," Dally told him, stuffing his hands in his pockets for a moment, before pulling a cigarette out and lighting it.

He then took a deep breath, inhaling the smoke, before breathing it back out of his mouth. His eyes went from Soda to Steve, then back again, before opening his mouth to speak.

"I was wonderin if you'd seen Abby's old man around," Dally voiced, pulling the cigarette from his lips for a moment, the end burning away and crumpling.

"Yeah, he was over near the house yesterday," Soda told him. "Why?"

Dally remained silent for a moment, standing there, thinking. Soda just stared at him, awaiting the answer to his question.

"He's been hangin around Eden too much," Dally commented. "I got a bad feelin about it man," he told them, looking between them.

The first week had been bad enough, but after that, it was like the man couldn't seem to get enough. They all knew that it was putting Abigail on edge, that was obvious. Now, it was putting Dally on edge and that didn't happen often, not like this anyway.

"What do you suppose we do about it though?" Soda asked, scratching the back of his neck lightly.

"I don't know man, but we gotta keep an eye on things," he told him, taking another drag of his cigarette, smoke exiting his lips a moment later.

T

"Hey, Eden, wait up!" Two-Bit called, running down the school's hallway in order to catch up.

The girl stopped, standing there to look at him with her books in her arms.

"What do you want?" she asked, heading for her locker to grab her satchel.

"Just wanted ta ask ya somethin," he told her, stopping next to her locker as her played with the lock.

The locker opened a moment later, revealing the small space inside. It was filled with various things, books among others. There was a picture tapped in the back of her father, along with a few random bits of paper that didn't exactly seem to really belong anywhere.

"Then ask," she said simply, pulling her satchel from the locker.

"Well, me and Ponyboy are gonna go see a movie after school and I wanted to know if you'd be interested in goin?" he proposed.

Eden eyed him for a moment as she stuffed her books into her satchel.

"Sure," she smiled.

"Great. I'll grab you after class then," he told her, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I'll see ya later, gotta get home before my old lady," he grinned, before running off down the hallway.

She just shook her head as she watched him, his form disappearing through the large double doors of the school's entrance. He was definitely a character, but at least he was her friend.

**Yay! Chapter 38 is finally up! I apologize for how short it is, but I was unable to come up with anything further. I promise, the next chapter will be longer though. This one was just a bridge to the next one, so yeah. Anyway! Don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, ideas, opinions, and feelings on this chapter/ story? I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK, it helps me WRITE and keeps me happy, which in turn makes happy READERS! Seriously though, please REVIEW? Thanks everyone! *goes off to start the next chapter while listening to music***


	39. Ch 39: 'God, forgive me'

**A/N: I felt that the song Scars by Anna Nalick was an appropriate song for writing part of this. Please listen to it while reading?**

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 39**

**"God, forgive me..."**

The next day started off like any other, the sun rising high in the sky. First with breakfast, then off to school for the kids while the rest of us went to work. It was the same normal routine that was always went through on a school day. Personally, I just wanted to get the day over with so that I could come back home and sleep. I was tired, unable to sleep the last few days for obvious reasons. Darry tried to help the best that he could, but I couldn't help but to feel as though something bad was going to happen. Then again, that's how it had always been around my father.

_"Look, here's the number for my job today. If you need me, call, alright?"_

Darry's words echoed in my head as I down at the bit of paper that he had given me, a telephone number written on it.

"I think I'll be fine for today," I voice quietly, stuffing it back into my pocket as I stifled a yawn.

The last thing that I needed was Joe poking at me for yawning. It was already bad enough that the guys had told him that my father was back, putting him on edge along with the others. I mean, Darry had gone and told him right off the bat, pulling him off to the side to talk to him. For that, he'd nearly sent me home for the day. Like Darry, Joe knew exactly how bad it bothered me having the man back in town. What he didn't know though, was the nightmares that came back as a result of it, plaguing my dreams.

In fact, I'd woken up last night to another, my breath heaving in and out. I was actually surprised that it hadn't woken Darry. Then again, he'd had a hard day yesterday, leaving him tired and exhausted from work. The construction project that he was on was a big one, taking up a lot of his time when ever it wasn't raining. It'd been like that for the last two weeks. Still, he tried his best to help when he could, giving me the smile that I needed. Unfortunately, it couldn't take the nightmares away, even with his arms wrapped around me protectively each and every night.

"Another drink please?"

T

"You sure you don't wanna go home first and drop your stuff off?" Ponyboy asked as he walked down the street with Eden and Two-Bit.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Besides, if you're brother is home, I'm sure he'd rather we left him be," Eden commented.

"Yeah, good point. He'd probably be sleeping in his chair or something," Ponyboy nodded.

"Probably," Two-Bit chuckled.

T

"Curtis, get your area covered!" Darry's boss yelled out as the rain started to pour down on them.

It hadn't rained all day, but now, their luck had run out. Darry had expected this though given the weather report. He pushed that aside though as he pulled a tarp out, tying it up in an attempt to keep his equipment from getting wet. He then started covering up the rest of his area as the rain pelted down on him, soaking his clothes and hair.

"Darrel, heads up!" one of his buddies called, tossing him a bundle of rope.

Darry let out a small grunt as he caught it at the last minute, his feet shifting against the dampening ground.

"Get things tied up," he told him, going back to cover his own stuff.

Darry nodded his head absently, turning around to tie everything else up. Personally, they didn't need anything falling apart or slipping into the mud by accident.

"Watch out!"

"Huh?"

Darry looked up in time to see some of the building material falling toward him, quickly moving out of the way. He groaned as he landed in the mud a few feet away, his eyes wide.

"The hell is wrong with you guys!" he yelled, picking his hard hat up from the mud.

"Sorry Darrel, it slipped," one of the guys tried, but it did them little good.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you guys were trying to get me killed," he scoffed, trying to brush himself off.

He only made it worse though, smearing the mud on his shirt and face. Part of it washed off though with the rain, leaving him shivering a bit.

"Hey, that's what we have hard hats for," one of them chuckled from up top.

"Bull crap. Doesn't help if you crush the guy," Darry scowled, grabbing his tool belt and walking away from the spot.

T

"Aw, man, it's raining!" Eden cried.

She was rather annoyed to find it pouring rain outside after the movie had finished. To think, she'd actually been in a good mood after the comedy film.

"Well, look at it this way darlin', at least we're not in Oz. Otherwise, you might melt," Two-Bit chuckled, slapping his knee.

Eden looked at him with slightly wide eyes.

"Are you calling me a witch?" she exclaimed.

He just chuckled at this, shaking his head.

"Heck no, I'm just saying."

"Two-Bit, do you ever quit?" Ponyboy asked, drawing his hood up over his head.

"Why do you get a hood?" Eden cried.

Ponyboy just grinned at her like an idiot, before running out into the rain with a laugh.

"Hey, Pony, wait up," Two-Bit called, moving to go after him.

"Wait for me!" Eden yelled, holding her bag close as she rain after the two through the pouring rain.

T

"Hey, Abigail, why don't you get home?" Joe asked, leaning against the counter.

"Huh?" I turned my head to look at him, giving him a curious look.

"You're tired, you should go home and get some rest," he told me.

"But," I started.

I didn't get very far though before he interrupted me, holding his hand up.

"Don't even try," he said, shaking his head.

I let out a sigh at this, closing my eyes for a moment. Every time, every time he did this, whether I liked it or not. Also because I've gone through this so many times with him before, I knew that there was no point arguing.

"Fine," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I'll go," I told him, moving to grab my jacket.

I then pulled the piece of paper from my pocket, staring down at it for a moment, before moving over to the phone. I then dialed the number, pressing my ear to the phone. It rang a few times, before someone picked up.

"Hello, this is Davidson, can I help you?" the man asked, his voice a bit on the gruff side as though his throat were sore.

"Um, yes, I'm looking for Darrel Curtis?" I said softly.

"Darrel? I'm sorry ma'am, but he left a few minutes ago. Can I give him a message for you tomorrow?" he inquired.

"Um, no, thank you. I'll just see him at home I guess," I told him.

"Ah, you're Miss Winters then?" he assumed.

"Yes, sir."

"Well, in that case, could you tell him that he left his screwdriver behind?"

"Of course," I nodded.

"Alright then, good day ma'am."

"Good day, sir," I ended quietly, hanging the phone up. "Well, so much for that," I sighed, stuffing the paper back into my pocket. "I'll see you tomorrow Joe," I called over my shoulder, grabbing an umbrella, before running out into the rain.

T

"Hey, Steve, you ever think it's gonna stop raining?" Soda asked, leaning up against the wall of the DX station.

"I don't know, maybe," Steve shrugged, before leaning down and grabbing a hand full of mud.

He then threw it at Soda, hitting him right in the face.

"Hey!" Soda cried, stumbling to the side as he wiped his face.

Steve just laughed, a crazed grin on his face.

"That's it!" Soda exclaimed, before tackling his friend to the ground, and into the mud.

T

"Hurry up, I'm getting soaked!" Eden cried, moving through the rain with Pony and Two-Bit.

All of them were running, moving from on-ing to on-ing. It was practically raining cats and dogs at this point and all that Two-Bit was doing was laughing.

"Come on, slow poke," Two-Bit howled, a long chuckle erupting from his lips.

"I'm not slow, you guys are too fast!" Eden whined, her feet sloshing through the water.

T

"Come on," I groaned, waiting at the street corner for the walk sign to change, the rain still pouring down on me.

I then watched as the light changed, quickly making my way across, a car or two honking they're horns.

"Oh, shut up!" I yelled, watching them fly by once I was out of the way. "Impatient people," I grumbled, making my way down the sidewalk.

T

"Curtis! Randel! Stop messin around!" their boss yelled from inside.

"Sorry boss," Soda grinned, rubbing the back of his neck as he sat there on the ground with Steve, his friend grinning back at him like an idiot.

"You get done fixin the brakes on that car, I'll let you go early," their boss told them, watching as they shot up off the ground and over to the car.

He always knew how to get them moving again. Besides, it wasn't as if many people would be coming out in the rain like this anyway.

T

"Dang it, where's my key?"

I rummaged around in my pockets tried to find my key. It wasn't in my front pockets or my back pockets.

"Wait a minute."  
I then felt around in my jacket pockets, letting out a sigh of relief as I found my key, quickly pulling it out and shoving it into the door. I was surprised though when I went to turn it, finding it already unlocked. I knew Darry couldn't be home though because his truck wasn't in front of the house.

"Soda? Ponyboy?" I called, walking into the house.

I didn't hear a response though as I pulled my jacket off and hung it on the coat rack tacked to the wall, placing the umbrella down as well. I then walked into the kitchen, pulling a clean glass from the drying rack. I wanted a nice cold glass of milk. That thought was cut short though when I heard a noise up stairs, something that sounds like things being knocked over.

"What the?"

T

"Hey, you guys want somethin?" Two-Bit asked as they stood underneath the on-ing at Dairy Queen.

"Don't we still have cake at home?" Eden asked, looking between the two boys.

"Yeah, we do," Ponyboy nodded. "I'm sure we can wait til we get home. Besides, the house is just down the street," Ponyboy told Two-Bit.

"Fine. Can't blame a guy for tryin though," he chuckled, moving out from underneath the on-ing and back into the pouring rain.

"Hey, wait up!" Eden cried, running after him.

T

Ticket To Ride by the Beatles played through the radio as Darry sat in his truck, slowly driving down the road with his windshield wiper moving back and forth, his mind on Abigail.

Darry tapped his fingertips agains the steering wheel a few times as he sat there, before turning at the light and making his way down another street. He'd be home in a few minutes, possible start dinner for when the others got home.

T

Once I got to the top of the stairs, I took a step back, finding the kids room open.

"The hell are you doing here?" I choked out, taking another step back.

Before me, stood my father, a slightly crazed look on his face as if he was high off of something.

"Abigail Lee, so _good_ to see you again," he grinned, standing straight and holding his arms out. "Why don't you give me a hug?"

"G-get out!" I yelled, pointing toward the door.

He just tilted his head to the side, giving me a curious look.

"Now, why would I do that? Especially, when I came all this way to see you?" he asked.

"I said, get out!" I yelled once more. "You have no place here, so leave!"

"Abby, come come," he chuckled, taking a step toward me.

I took a step back, only to be grabbed harshly around my wrist.

"Honestly, can't you ever behave?" he asked, the smell of whiskey rolling off his tongue.

I scrunched up my nose at this, trying to pull away.

"You're drunk, get out!"

"And what if I say no?" he asked slowly, pulling me just a bit closer, his hand curling tighter around my wrist painfully.

"You're hurting me!" I cried, trying to pull away.

"It's not like you don't deserve it, keeping my daughter away from me," he whispered, before shoving me down onto the ground, a groan emitting from my lips. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to finish packing her things," he finished walking back into her room.

"W-what?" I choked out, pushing myself up off of the floor.

"You heard me," he said, turning to look at me. "She's coming with me."

"No she's not!" I cried out. "You won't touch her!" I yelled, moving into the room, only to be knocked back as my back made contact with the doorframe.

"She's coming with me whether you like it or not," he told me, walking toward me until he was in front of me.

I started scooting back away from him, fear slowly seeping into me.

A moment later, his hand was on my throat, keeping me still. I felt my airway constrict, becoming unable to breathe.

"You always have been a pain Abigail, never knowing when to back down," he whispered, his breath stinging my nose. "Perhaps, I should have just dropped you off in a girls home after your mother died," he voiced.

I got angry at this, lashing out with my legs and kicking him, knocking him down. He let out a groan as a result, before going after me again, grabbing me by my ankle and pulling me back.

"Let go!" I yelled, kicking him in the face, only to earn a slap in return.

A moment later, I was up against the wall, his hand wrapped tightly around my throat.

"You're going to pay for that," he grumbled.

I found myself unable to breathe as I stood there, back pressed against the wall. He was angry and I knew he wasn't about to let go. I could practically feel the life being squeezed out of me. I couldn't breathe.

T

"Come on, slow poke!" Two-Bit called over his shoulder, his eyes landing on Eden.

Ponyboy was ahead of boy of them at this point, a grin on his face. Eden and Two-Bit still had to deal with the rain pounding down on them though, each drop soaking into their hair and flattening it.

"It's not like you're helping any!" Eden exclaimed, jumping over a large puddle of water, their house now in view.

"I bet you ten bucks I can beat you guys home!" Ponyboy called back to them.

"You're on kid," Two-Bit grinned, quickening his pace in order to try and beat Ponyboy, Eden following along behind them as they raced down the street toward the house.

T

"D-Darry," I choked out, struggling to breathe.

T

In the distance, Darry could see his brother running through the rain toward their house, Two-Bit and Eden following after him. He felt a small smile pull onto his face as he watched, being reminded of better times. He then shook his head, before chuckling quietly.

"Kids," he breathed.

T

The man before me just chuckled.

"Sorry, but I don't think you'll be seeing him again any time soon," he told me. "And after this, Eden will be long gone from here," he whispered, tightening his grip.

I could feel tears falling at his words, hearing them echo around in my head. I couldn't let him do this, I couldn't let him take her away from me, from a place where she was safe. I couldn't lose her like I did everything else, I couldn't let her slip away, and as I stood there I fumbled. Fumbling for something in my back pocket, for a way out, just something. As his grip tightened, I felt my fingers brush the smooth surface, my finger touching the switch. I had to end this, I had to stop it while I still had the chance, I couldn't let her disappear into oblivion.

"God, forgive me..." I whispered, thrusting my hand forward.

Everything seemed to play in slow motion from there as his hand loosened just a bit, his eyes going wide in realization, before filling with rage once more. I barely even registered the front door being pushed open, the sound of Eden's voice reaching out and touching my ears as I was moved, feeling myself being pushed toward the steps. So many things were running through my head as my breath returned to me. I could see everything around me. The last thing that I heard was her scream out as my feet left the ground and a faint rush of air wrapping around me. My eyes closed and I bit back a cry as my breath left, my world soon turning black.

"Abigail!"

**Chapter 39 is finally up! I REALLY hope that everyone liked it? I put a lot of thought into this one and I hope that it turned out right. Granted, I know that a few of you probably want to wring my neck of leaving you on a cliff hanger, but still. I'm starting the next one as we speak. Anyway, PLEASE don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, ideas, opinions, and feelings on this chapter/story. I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK! It makes me HAPPY and keeps me WRITING. Which also makes HAPPY READERS! So, please REVIEW and I will get the next chapter out as soon as possible, maybe in another hour or two.**


	40. Ch 40: Fight For Life

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 40**

**Fight For Life**

"Abigail!" Eden screamed, running forward toward her sister.

Once there, she fell to her knees, tears falling. She didn't know what to do. They merely stepped into the house, only to find Abigail and her father at the top of the stairs with Abigail pinned to the wall, then being shoved down the stairs a moment later.

"Abby!" Eden choked out, trying to shake her sister.

"Eden, don't," Ponyboy told her quickly, pulling her away enough to stop her from shaking her.

If anything was broken, he didn't want to make it worse.

"No...no, Abby!" Eden cried, trying to pull away.

Her sister didn't move though, staying right where she was, her head tilted to the side at an odd angle. To Ponyboy, it was obvious that her neck was possibly broken, which is why he kept Eden away.

"Two-Bit, do something," Ponyboy tried, holding tightly onto Eden.

Two-Bit quickly made his way over to the phone, dialing 9-1-1. At the same time, Eden's father stood at the top of there stairs with a blade in his hand, his other hand clutching his bleeding side. To be honest, Eden wasn't sure what to think as she sat there, hands shaking as Ponyboy held onto her. In the background, she heard Two-Bit's frantic voice as he spoke into the phone, almost yelling at one point in frustration.

T

As Darry pulled up to the house, he found himself confused as he sat there, the sound of yelling meeting his ears. What was more confusing was the fact that it was Two-Bit yelling, something that wasn't often heard at all given his happy go lucky and laid back nature.

"The heck is goin on?" Darry mumbled, turning off the engine and getting out of the truck, rain pelting down on him once more.

He let out a small groan as he moved toward the house, the rain soaking into his clothes and hair like it had earlier. The continued as he stepped onto the porch, opening the door.

"Would you stop yelling?" Darry said in annoyance.

His breath soon caught in his throat though as his eyes caught sight of everything in front of him, his lips parting and his eyes going wide.

"Abigail?" he whispered, dropping his tool belt onto the ground, quickly going over to her side.

He fell to his knees a moment later, hands shaking, not knowing what to do.

"A-Abigail?" he choked out, his fingers brushing her cheek.

She didn't respond though, merely laying there quietly without a single word. This just made things worse for Darry as he sat there, eyes stinging as he tried to fight back the tears. He didn't know what to do.

"Just hurry!" Two-bit yelled into the phone, slamming it back down onto the receiver afterward. "You did this!" Two-Bit yelled angrily, pointing toward the man at the top of the stairs, Darry's eyes following upward.

Upon seeing the man standing there, Darry felt anger rise within him. Within seconds, he was at the top of the stairs, his hand wrapped around the mans throat.

"Why? Why!" Darry yelled, his voice shaky.

The others merely stayed where they were, watching the scene unfold before them.

At this point, Roger had already dropped the blade, his eyes staring into Darry's piercing blue gaze. He felt a stab of fear go through him as he stood there, bak pressed firmly into the wall. He mustered up enough courage though to spit on his, a fist flying into his face a moment later, knocking him onto the floor. Darry had to hold back from hitting him again as he stood there, hands shaking, mouth twitching. He was so angry, he could hardly contain it.

"Darry!" Ponyboy yelled from the bottom of the steps, his voice frantic.

Darry turned his head to look down the stairs, finding Abigail's chest heaving painfully. She was having problems breathing.

"Abigail," he breathed, quickly moving back down the stairs. "Come on, just hold on," he told her, falling to his knees beside her, taking his hand in his.

He had no clue if she could even hear him, but he was still trying.

"They're coming," Ponyboy said, hearing the ambulance in the distance.

At this, Two-Bit quickly went outside, standing there in front of the house and waving his hands around like a maniac. He didn't want them to pass the house up, especially when they didn't know how much time that they had.

"Over here! Over here!" Two-Bit yelled, jumping up and down, waving all over the place.

T

"Hey, Steve, were ya think they're headed?" Soda asked, watching an ambulance fly by the DX and down the street.

"I don't know, probably a bunch of stupid kids or somethin," Steve shrugged, making a few more adjustments on the car he was working on while Soda tried finishing up the brakes on the other car.

T

"Move out of the way," one of the paramedics said, running in with a stretcher.

Everyone watched as they carefully lifted Abigail onto it, securing her head and limbs.

"Please, she's having trouble breathing," Darry told them, watching as they lifted the stretcher, carrying her toward the door.

Darry followed them out, not wanting to leave her, watching as they loaded her into the ambulance.

"Go on, we'll catch up," Two-Bit told him, standing by the door as another paramedic came in to help the girls' father.

"Alright," Darry nodded, tossing Two-Bit his keys. "Take the truck."

"Alright, now get going," Two-Bit pushed, shoving Darry.

He nodded quickly, jumping into the ambulance before they closed the doors, his hands going to Abigail's as she laid there on the stretched with an air mask over her nose and mouth. He just hoped that she'd be alright, otherwise, he wasn't sure what he'd do. After all, at this point, he couldn't imagine living his life day to day without her in it.

T

"There they go again," Steve pointed out, watching one of the ambulances go by.

They were surprised after another went by a few minutes later, Darry's truck following close behind.

"Soda, we got a problem," Steve called out warily.

"Huh?" Soda sat up, wiping his hands.

"That was Darry's truck followin behind them and he wasn't the one driving it either," he pointed out, earning a curious look from Soda.

"Oh crap," Soda groaned, pushing himself up, before running inside and grabbing his wallet. "I'm done, let's go," he said quickly running off down the street with Steve following behind him, nearly tripping along the way.

"Hey, buddy, wait up!" Steve called.

Soda just kept running though, not bothering to look behind him as he ran. He hated to admit it, but it looked like Dally might have been right all along.

T

"Step on it or we're going to lose her!" one of the paramedics shouted, watching as Abigail's breathing got worse.

He then turned to Darry with a serious look, one hand keeping the breathing mask over Abigail's faces.

"We don't have much time to spare once we get to the hospital, so I need you tell me everything that you can," he told Darry.

"I'll try," Darry nodded, looking down at Abigail.

"I need to know what happened."

"Unfortunately, all I know is that I came home and found her at the bottom of the stairs. If I had to take a guess, she was pushed. "The problems with her breathing started a bit after that. That's all I know," Darry told him, afraid that he wasn't much help.

"She probably has a broken rib or two then. One of them could have punctured a lung," the man informed him, checking her pulse. "She's going to have to go into surgery right away."

Darry flinched when he heard this. Surgery meant waiting even longer and there was no guarantee that she would actually make it out or not in her condition. Honestly, at this point, it was a roll of the dice. He'd have to sit back to find out his chances, find out his roll, and if he was lucky he'd win.

T

"Can't you go any faster?" Eden asked, quickly losing her patience as Two-Bit drove down the street in Darry's truck.

"I'm tryin," Two-Bit told her, wishing that she'd just sit back and be quiet.

After all, he didn't need to blow Darry's engine by over doing it. They'd still get there, even if it wasn't as fast as Eden would like.

T

"Alright, out of the way everyone," the paramedic said hurriedly as he pushed the cart into the hospital, Darry following quickly behind.

He barely even registered what was being said between those around him as they rolled her down the hallway toward surgery, her breathing becoming more of a struggle with every minute that passed by.

"Are you with the young woman that they just brought in?" a nurse asked, coming to stand in front of him.

"Y-yes," Darry nodded.

"May I ask your relationship is to her?" she asked, holding a clipboard in her hands.

"I...I'm," he paused for a moment before continuing. "I'm her fiance," he told her.

He did this in case any other problems were to arise. After all, it was pretty close to the truth anyway. Not to mention, other than her sister, Darry and the gang were all that she had as far as family went.

"And you're name, sir?"

"Darrel Curtis," he told her.

"Mr. Curtis, could you please fill out as much information as you can for me?" she asked, handing him the clipboard and pencil.

He nodded his head as he took it into his hands, following her as she led him through a set of doors for surgery waiting.

"I'll be back in a few minutes to collect it," she informed him, walking back through the doors.

This left him standing there with the clipboard in his hands, finally allowing him to fall into a chair. Even though he didn't want to, he knew that he had to fill the paper out to the best of his ability before finally falling apart.

_Name: Abigail Lee Winters_

_Age: 20_

_Gender: Female_

_Weight: 119_

_Height: 5'5"_

_Allergies: N/A_

_Pre-existing conditions: None_

_Past injuries: Broken arm, shoulder wound_

He couldn't really think of much more for that, so he laid the clipboard down on one of the chairs beside him, resting his head in his hands.

"How did it come to this?" he whispered, his finger curling into his hair as he pinched his eyes closed. "Abigail..."

His mind went back to what he'd seen in the house, her body laying there on the ground in a crumpled heap, her head laid to the side, her legs sitting at a slight angle. Even the bit of blood on her temple. He could see it all. He hadn't known what to do when he'd seen her laying there like that, tears swelling in his eyes.

He let out a grunt as he pulled at his hair, the images tearing away at him. He had no clue if she'd make it or not, if they'd been too late in getting her to the hospital. He felt that he might die if she didn't make it, causing his shoulders to shake a bit. He couldn't lose her.

"Darry?"

He lifted his head to find Ponyboy standing there with Eden and Two-Bit, a worried look on his face.

"Pony?" he nearly choked out, trying his best to seem strong.

"How is she?" he asked slowly.

"I...I don't know," he told him, hanging his head. "They took her into surgery a bit ago," he explained, sitting there in his chair.

"Dar, I'm sorry," Ponyboy sighed, coming to sit beside him, leaving Two-bit standing there with his arm around Eden whom seemed just as shaken as Darry.

Darry merely shook his head at this as he looked over at Eden, finding her trying to best not to cry as she held onto Two-Bit. She looked ready to collapse onto the floor any minute.

"Get her a seat," Darry said quietly, letting go of his hair to sit up properly for the most part.

"Who's gonna call Dally?" Ponyboy asked after a moment, looking around at everyone.

Darry stiffened at this, but stood nonetheless.

"I will," he said, moving down the hall and through the doors to find a phone, leaving the others behind to sit there.

"You think he's gonna be okay?" Ponyboy asked, looking over at Two-Bit.

"I don't know kid. It all depends on how things turn out from here," he said honestly, seating Eden down on one of the chair, pulling his jacket from his shoulders and wrapping it around her.

T

Darry stood there in front of the phone, dialing the number that he wanted. A moment later, it was ringing in his ear, until someone picked up.

"Hello?" the gruff voice spoke.

"Hey, Buck, it's Darrel. Is Dallas around?" he asked, leaning up against the wall.

"Yeah, hold on, he's playin cards."

He stood there waiting for a moment, tapping his foot against the wall.

"Hello?"

"Dally, it's Darrel," he said.

"Hey, man, what's up? I was just playin cards with a few of the guys," he told him.

"Somethin happened," Darry said after a moment, staring at the wall in front of him.

"Huh? What's goin on?" Dally asked, unsure of the answer that he'd get. "Darry?"

"It's Abigail," he said after a moment, taking in a deep breath.

"What happened?"

"I..."

"Tell me," Dally demanded.

"She's in surgery right now," he whispered.

"What!"

This made Darry pull the phone away from his ear, wincing slightly.

"She fell down the stairs... It's pretty bad Dal," Darry sighed, running a hand through hair.

It was silent for a minute, putting Darry on edge, before Dally finally spoke.

"I'll be there in a few, just give me a minute, alright?"

"Yeah, sure Dal. When you get here, just ask for me and the nurse will bring you back."

"Alright. See ya in a few."

They hung up after that and Darry was sure Dally was ready to beat the crap outta something. Darry was shocked a moment later though when a group with a crash cart came rushing by, going down into surgery, the doors bursting open. His heart nearly stopped when they went into her room, his breath catching in his throat.

"Abigail," he breathed, running down the hall.

He then watched through a small window as they tried to restart her heart, panic raising in his chest.

"Come on, come on," he whispered, his hand pressed against the window as he watched the electricity pour into her chest. "Abigail...please," he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. "Please, you have to hang on."

T

Inside the room the doctors were trying frantically to try and fix Abigail's lung, while at the same time getting her heart to start back up, blood soaking a few rags.

"Come on. Clear," one of the doctors called, pressing the paddles to her chest once more, her body jolting upward from the electricity before falling back to the table.

"She's still crashing!" one called out, putting a bit of gel on the paddles.

One doctors eyes caught Darry's, watching the look on his face as he watched through the window, the man's eyes watering. They'd seen that look many times when emergency patients came in. Some made it, some didn't, but they tried their best to get them through.

"Again. Clear!" the doctor called, pressing the paddles to Abigail's chest again, her body nearly leaping off of the table.

There was no change.

"Again!" the doctor yelled, letting the paddles recharge, before pressing them to Abigail's chest once more.

This time, the monitor started beeping back into place, a sigh of relief leaving everyone in the room. One of the doctors then turned toward the window and gave Darry a smile, assuring him that everything was fine again.

"Alright, now lets get her stitched up the rest of the way and clean," he announced, putting the paddles back in their place, the rest of the doctors going back to their jobs in the surgical room.

T

Darry let out a sigh of relief once they managed to stabilize her again, slowly letting his back slide down the wall, until he sat on the floor. Everyone else stood there and watched, their nerves on edge as well.

"She'll make it Dar. Don't worry, she will, she's gotta," Two-Bit told him. "Besides, she's got a stud like you waitin for her, so why would you not come back?" Two-Bit chuckled, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

He then watched as Darry let out a small chuckle, the corners of his lips twitching slightly.

"See? It'll be alright man, just you wait."

T

"Come on, man, hurry up and get outta the car," Dally said in annoyance as he killed the engine and got out, stuff the keys in his pocket.

Again, he'd borrowed Buck's car. He'd even picked Steve and Soda up on the way, finding them running toward the hospital. The stupid kids were dumb enough to try and run the whole way through the bloody rain.

"Idiots," Dally muttered, walking through the entrance and into the hospital.

He went right to the front desk, not bothering to wait for the two behind him.

"I'm lookin for a friend of mine, said he'd be waiting in surgery for Abigail Winters," Dally breathed, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Ah, yes, just go down that hallway and through those doors. You'll find him there," she told him, pointing down the hallway behind her.

"Thanks," Dally muttered, quickly making his way down the hallway, Steve and Soda running behind him to catch up.

The moment they pushed through the doors, they found Darry and the others sitting over against the wall, Darry butt on the floor while the others sat in chairs. Dally could see through one of the little windows where they trying to sew someone up, unsure of who it was.

"Darry," Soda cried, making his way over to his brother.

Dally merely stood there, watching Steve take a seat in one of the chair. He found it a bit curious that the kid didn't even say anything.

"So, anyone mind fillin me in?" Dally asked, raising an eyebrow in question as he looked at the others.

Eden wasn't able to make eye contact with him as she sat there, pulling Two-Bit's jacket around herself a bit more.

"Her dad pushed her down the stairs," Two-Bit grunted, gritting his teeth. "Broke her neck a rib or two. Even busted a lung or something. They just got done restarting her heart to," he explained, waiting for Dally to go off.

It didn't take long though, before Dally's hand curled into a fist, his anger rising.

"They had to do what?"

"Her heart stopped and they had to restart it," Ponyboy pipped up from his seat.

Dally didn't say a word though as he turned toward the other wall, pressing his forehead against it, before slamming it with his fist. It was obvious how much hearing this bothered him. After all, how could it not bother him? He still had a heart after all. He couldn't help, but to be mad though, feeling himself itching to punch the man that caused it.

"Where is he?" Dally grunted, turning toward Two-Bit.

"I don't know, probably in the other hallway or somethin. Abby got him with a blade, so they're probably stitching him up or takin him for a scan or somethin," Two-Bit told him. "Personally, I don't give a damn as long as he stays away. The bastards drunk."

"Doesn't give him an excuse," Dally nearly spat, looking over at Eden whom hung her head.

She wasn't sure how to take any of it. In fact, she still wasn't quite sure what had happened, but she wasn't sure she wanted to be around her father right now. Truth be told, she hadn't even realized that he was drunk.

"Sit down. I don't need you doing anything stupid right now," Darry said firmly, still sitting there on the floor.

"Fine," Dally grumbled, plopping down in one of the seats as he leaned backward til his chair was balancing itself. "But I'm gonna kill that guy."

"Not unless you want her to kill you, you won't," Darry pointed out, only lifting his head to eye Dally for a short moment. "She'd kill you if you did anything stupid."

"Yeah, whatever man, whatever."

**As promised, I got the next installment out the same day. I hope that everyone liked it and wasn't left wanting to kill me? Lol. Anyway, don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story? I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK. It keeps me HAPPY and helps me WRITE. SERIOUSLY IT DOES! Plus, a happy ME equals a happy YOU. So REVIEW! Thanks everyone and keep an eye out for the next one. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK? IDEAS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.**


	41. Ch 41: As The Rain Pours Down

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 41**

**As The Rain Pours Down**

For hours, the guys sat there, just sitting and waiting. There wasn't much that they could do save for talk a bit from time to time. Two-Bit even went as far as going down to the gift shop and buying a pack of cards, that way he'd have something to do, tossing a card at Steve every now and then.

"Would you stop it!" Steve groaned, kicking Two-Bit's chair, nearly knocking it over.

Two-Bit just chuckled, before throwing another at him, this time ending up on the floor.

"Would you guys stop it?" Darry asked, his voice raising in annoyance.

That seemed to shut them up long enough for Darry to think.

"Mr. Curtis?" a doctor asked, coming down the hall.

"Y-yes?" Darry stood up in a heartbeat, eyes going toward the doctor.

"As you know, the surgery went well for the most part," the doctor started, holding his clipboard in hand. "We took a few x-rays among other things."

"And?" Two-Bit interrupted, sitting up on the floor.

"And," the doctor continued. "Over all, she has two broken ribs on the right side, a fracture to her upper leg arm, and a broken bone at the base of her neck," he explained, before taking in a breath.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Darry asked hesitantly, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"In the fall, she managed to crack her skull and there was a bit of swelling," he admitted, sending their hopes crashing. "But," he continued. "We're handling it as we speak."

"So, what do we do until then?" Soda asked.

"Well, young man, I'm afraid all anyone can do is what," he told him. "Just wait and pray."

It was silent for a moment, no one speaking a word, until the doctor said one last thing.

"You may see her now if you wish. She's just down the hall."

After that, the doctor walked off, leaving them standing there staring at each other.

"I'm goin for a smoke," Dally mumbled, pushing off the wall and walking down the hallway, leaving the others behind.

"Eden?" Darry reached out, holding his hand out to her.

She look up at him, her eyes red and puffy from crying. There was so much wrong with this picture in Darry's mind. Granted, this girl was no angel, but she still didn't deserve this, none of them did.

T

The rain still poured as Dally stood outside, his dark suede jacket covering him, shielding him from some of the rain. This meant little to him though as he stood there, cigarette hanging from his lips as he leaned against the building, head tilted toward the dark stormy night sky with his eyes closed.

He could feel the rain roll down over his skin as he stood there, mind drifting away from him. So much had happened in the last few months and now he was left standing, not knowing what to do. He'd known that something bad was going to happen from day one, but he never imagined that it'd end like this. Regardless of what the doctor said, he still felt like he might lose something, something precious. He knew that it'd be far worse for Darry though. After all, the big guy was in love with her with the chance of marriage in the future. Dally on the other hand, he was nothing. Yes, he was tough and strong, but they had no clue what all this really did to him. He was just good at hiding it. Hiding behind the cold and dismissive facade of his. Almost like a wintery wasteland.

Dally could feel himself shake as he stood there, slowly sliding down to the ground, the water splashing slightly on impact. His hand then found its way into his hair, raking through it, before gripping and pulling at it slightly. He was a mess.

"Of all the people..." he whispered, his cigarette slipping from his mouth and falling to the ground, the small flame disappearing in a short stream of dampening smoke.

As he sat there, he felt himself reach up, subconsciously gripping the necklace around his neck, the cold metal making contact with the palm of his hand.

"Why'd it have to be her?"

T

Darry stood there in the room, watching Eden cry, her hands clutching the bed.

"I'm sorry Abby," she choked out, burying her face in the sheets. "I-I gave him my key," she admitted. "None of this would have ever happened if it weren't for me," she cried.

Darry wanted to reach out as he stood there listening to her pour everything out, but he held still, watching, listening. She was the one that had technically allowed him in, but it wasn't completely true, she didn't know any better. It's not like she could have known that something like this would happen. None of them would have guessed it. True, they knew that Abigail's father wasn't any good, but they still wouldn't have pictured something like this happening with her laying there in a hospital bed again. Although, this time, they didn't know what would come of it.

To Darry though, it was almost as if everything before him was just a bad dream, a nightmare that he would soon wake from. After all, something like this couldn't be real, could it? No, it had to be a dream, but deep down he knew it wasn't so. Yes, it was a nightmare, but it was also an unfortunate living reality playing out in front of his eyes.

T

As more time passed, the others feel asleep, leaving only Darry and Dallas awake. It also left both men to their own thoughts, something that was better left alone instead of ventured, but was still hard for both. Even harder that certain questions couldn't be answered and certain answers couldn't be told or revealed. That too would soon change though if others didn't, nonetheless, the truth would still have to come out. Although, from who's lips were still to be decided, even though Darry had a feeling that in the end it might be coming from him. These were the thoughts that went through his head as he sat there by Abigail's bed, her hand in his, his fingers wrapped around hers.

"What am I going to do with you?" he sighed, letting a breath escape his lips.

He felt a faint shiver run down his spin after that, a tingling sensation flowing through his fingertips. At that, Darry pulled the sheet up on Abigail a bit more, wanting to keep her warm. After all, it was bad enough seeing her in the shape she was in. At this point, she had a tube down her throat to make sure that she kept breathing, bruises around her neck, and a cut on her forehead. She looked terrible and that fact tore away at him. Probably more so though because he hadn't been there to stop it. In fact, the only reason why he hadn't been there to stop it was because he'd made a little pit stop to grab a snack. If it weren't for that, then she probably wouldn't be in the hospital like she was.

With that thought in his mind he stood up from his chair, walking out of the room and into the hallway. He could see down the hallway to the curtained window, rain pouring down it from the outside. It was almost like the weather was mimicking his emotions, painting them out for everyone to see.

At this point though, Darry just needed a way to unwind and try to get away from things. He even considered going out and getting a strong drink, but he knew that it wouldn't do him any good. Besides, he wasn't the type of person to really do something like that anyway. Not to mention, he'd promised Abigail that he'd never do something like that, and he wasn't going to break that promise to her.

"Hey, Dar, how's she doin man?" Dally asked, walking down the hallway.

He'd actually just come from upstairs at Johnny's room.

"Still the same," Darry replied quietly, running a hand through his hair.

Dally merely shifted in his spot, chewing at the inside of his cheek.

"What are you gonna do?" he asked finally, his eyes meeting Darry's blue, now red rimmed eyes.

It was obvious how tired he was, the stress finally starting to take hold. Point blank, he needed sleep.

"I don't know Dal," Darry sighed, leaning up against the wall, his head tilted toward the ceiling.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the others laying about at odd angles. Two-Bit was laid out in two chairs with Eden curled in his arms. Strangely enough, Steve was laid up in two chairs, his back down in the seats while one of his legs hung up over the back of the other chair. How he could be comfortable like that, Darry had no clue. As for Soda and Ponyboy though, they were in their own chairs sitting next to each other asleep again the other wall.

"Johnny will probably be down to see her at some point," Dally commented.

"That's fine," Darry breathed, pushing away from the wall and grabbing his keys off the floor next to Two-Bit.

"Where ya goin?" Dally asked, giving him a curious look.

"I don't know, out somewhere," he said after a moment. "Keep an eye on her, will you?" he asked, turning his head to look at Dally.

"Yeah, sure man, sure," Dally nodded, looking back into Abigail's room for a moment, only to turn his head back around to find Darry walking down the hallway and out of the hospital.

Dally wasn't even able to say anything as he watched Darry walk away, his back to him as he left. Truth be told, Dally felt sorry for him, but he also felt sorry for everyone right now.

"I guess it's just me and you now Princess," Dally sighed.

**Alright everyone, that was chapter 41. I really hope that everyone liked it? At this point, I feel sorry for poor Darry. Now they have to sit back and wait for things to change. Anyway, please REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story. I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK. It helps me WRITE which also makes a HAPPY READER. The more you REVIEW the QUICKER I will write. Thanks everyone and let me know what you think? IDEAS are ALWAYS WELCOMED!**


	42. Ch 42: Talk To Me

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 42**

**Talk To Me**

As the hours went, so did the night, dragging everyone into the early morning. The rain still poured down outside though, soaking the earth in waves, and not willing to yield for anything or anyone. This meant little to those inside the hospital though as they began to stir, just like it had meant little to Darry. In fact, he'd gone home after leaving the hospital, surrounding himself in the silence that was their house. He'd even found Sparky locked up in a room with a belt secured around his muzzle, no doubt from Abigail's father. He'd pushed that to the side though as his mind began to fog over, allowing Sparky to lay on the bed with him through the hours of the night and morning, eventually managing to fall asleep with the canine resting his head on Darry's stomach. Sleep was the only relief that he procured as he laid there, his mind wandering off into a black endless pit.

T

As ten o'clock rolled around, Darry began to stir, the sound of whining meeting his ears. It was Sparky, scratching at the inside of the bedroom door, whining to be let out.

"Hold on," Darry groaned, slowly pulling himself from the bed and stumbling over to the door.

He wasn't that happy to be up, not in the least, but Sparky needed out. So, grunting in dismay, he walked downstairs and pulled his shoes on before grabbing the leash. He then clipped it to Sparky's collar as he ran a hand through his hair, grabbing a plastic bag before walking outside with his jacket on, ready for a walk.

T

"Hey, Dal?" a voice called, wheeling into the room. "Dally?"

This caused Dally to jump, falling backwards out of his chair and onto the floor. He'd originally had it tilting back a bit, a foot propped up on the end of Abigail's bed. Now, he sat on the floor holding his head.

"Damn it!" he hissed, pushing himself up into a sitting position.

His eyes landed on Johnny finally after a moment, his eyes softening just a bit.

"Sorry Dal," Johnny said skittishly, wheeling back a bit in his wheelchair.

"Forget about it man," Dally said, waving it off as he got up off of the floor. "You're up early," he muttered.

"Not really," Johnny mumbled, rolling back and forth in his chair a bit.

It was hard always having to sit so still. Sometimes, it annoyed him to no end because he was stuck in that chair, still unable to walk. That was another reason why he was up, he didn't like laying around in that bed all day long.

"I wanted to come down and see her," Johnny finally said, rolling forward toward the bed, his hands gripping the wheels as he stopped.

"Figured as much," Dally mumbled, moving toward the door. "I'll leave you to it then. I'll be back after a while though. Gotta take care of a few things," Dally told him, before walking out of the room, easily closing the door behind him.

That left Johnny alone with Abigail, a breath escaping from his slightly shaky lips. Honestly, he wasn't sure what to do, but he knew that he wanted to see her. After everything that she was trying to do for him, he wasn't about to leave her hanging, even if she was unconscious.

"Hey there Abby, it's me, Johnnycake," he said, a small smile pulling on his lips.

She didn't do anything though as he spoke, but he didn't really expect her too either. He just sat there in his chair staring at her while fiddling with her fingers.

"They said I'd be able to leave soon if I want," he started, looking up at her sleeping form.

Her head was tilted slightly to the side in that neck brace of hers, even a large bandage wrapped around her head. He actually winced when he looked at it, blood staining the back. They'd actually ended up having to shave the back of her head even to treat it properly. He could just imagine her response when she woke up, especially, with having Two-Bit and Steve around. They'd probably end up giving her a hard time about it, but Johnny didn't see her any differently. She was still the same loving friend that she always was and she'd always visit him at least once a week.

"I don't wanna leave though unless I'm goin home with you," he told her, moving a bit closer to the bed. "I can't wait to come live with you guys. That way, I won't have to worry about my parents anymore."

He then reached out and touched her hand, her hand twitching slightly at the contact making him look up. He was disappointed though seeing that nothing had changed, but at the same time, he had a feeling that she could hear him. That put a smile on his face.

"You can hear me, can't you?" he asked, gripping her hand lightly in his, just as she had done may times before after his accident.

This time, she made no movement at all, but he still felt in his heart that she could hear him. The earlier twitch had just been her trying to fight her way to tell him, that he knew for sure.

"Man, if only Dar were here to see," he mumbled, letting out a sigh a moment later. "He's worried, you know? We all are," he admitted. "He's not here right now though. I think he went somewhere for a while, but I'm sure he'll be back. Dally was here though. I actually landed him on the floor," he chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

He really hadn't meant to startle Dally the way that he did, it just sorta happened. After all, how was he supposed to know that Dally would practically jump out of the chair and crack his head on the floor?

"It was an accident though, I swear," Johnny said, trying to defend himself.

He knew if she were awake though, she probably would have laughed. Things between Dally and Abigail didn't always make sense to Johnny. Then again, there were a lot of things that didn't make sense to him at times, but both Dally and Abigail could be confusing on their own to begin with. Being around each other just made things even more confusing. Although, he knew it couldn't be helped. After all, when they'd first been acquainted, it'd just been because Dallas was being an ass for the most part. He'd be giving her a hard time at work every now and then, grabbing at her butt and making things difficult. It took a while for them to come to terms with each other, but after that, things were cool. In all honesty, he felt that it made things a lot easier, having Dally and Abigail as friends. After all, it was better than them fighting all the time.

"Ya know, Dal came up to see me last night," Johnny started. "He was pretty bummed out about the whole thing. He was wet too, so I think he probably shut himself out in the rain for a while last night."

At that, Abigail's fingers twitched. She didn't liked what she was hearing.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. What do you expect though? He's not exactly the brightest when he's mad," he told her.

Granted, Johnny would never say that to Dally's face, but it was still the truth. Dally never was very logical about his actions when he was mad. It was also how he ended himself in jail a few times. It was also another reason why a few people didn't like messing with him. Granted, that was a good thing when it came to Socs and stuff, but he didn't like it when Dally acted that way around his friends. Still, he knew that Dally could look after himself. He always did, so it wasn't really anything new.

"He didn't like it much when I first got here either," he muttered, earning another twitch. "Come on, you keep that up and you'll be all used up with nothin left for Darry," he told her.

There was nothing after that though, so he allowed a smile to pull onto his face.

"Mr. Cade, it's time for your physical therapy," a nurse called, opening the door to Abigail's room.

No doubt, Steve or one of the others had told her where he was.

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled, rolling backwards away from the bed.

He then rolled over to the other side of the room, turning a knob on the small radio that sat there. Once he found the proper station, he rolled back over to Abigail's bed, giving her hand one final squeeze.

"I'll see ya later. I turned the radio on for you though, so get some rest," he whispered, before moving out of the room, easily following the nurse down the hall.

Before he got too far though, he turned toward the guys and gave them a smile.

"Talk to her, she can hear you," he told them, before rolling along.

T

Dally felt like driving out to Windrixville at the moment, but he just couldn't push himself to go through it. Even though he'd sent Ponyboy and Johnny up there, he'd never really been anywhere like that before. Yeah, there was practically nothing to do out there in his mind, but he knew it was quiet. It was also a bit of a drive too. That was the other reason why he couldn't pushed himself enough to go. He had to stay near, be available incase anything else happened. Otherwise, he'd never hear the end of it because that little voice in the back of his head that's supposed to tell him what to do, it would be kicking him in the skull.

"I can't keep doing this," Dally said, getting irritated with himself as he ran a hand through his slightly messy hair.

He hadn't taken the chance to fix it and currently, he was staring at a red light in front of him. So, with the chance at hand, he pulled his comb from his pocket and raked it through his hair a couple times. He could feel the slight pulling of strands as he ran into a few knots, grunting slightly. Luckily, he never had to worry about it that much. A moment later, the light turned green and he pushed on the gas, the car lurching forward and down the road.

T

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm hungry," Soda said suddenly, standing up from his seat and setting his cards down.

"I'm kind of hungry too," Eden said timidly.

"Well, then I'll go with you," Two-Bit said, getting up and stretching.

He let out a groan as he did this, feeling his back crack, making Eden roll her eyes.

"Oh, come on, that felt good," he chuckled, before cracking his neck.

"And that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That too," he grinned, before throwing an arm over her shoulders and leading her down the hall. "You comin kid?" Two-Bit called, glancing back at Ponyboy.

"Yeah," he sighed, getting up from his seat, following them down the hallway.

"You comin Steve?" Soda asked, looking back at his buddy.

Steve merely shook his head.

"Nah. Besides, someone's gotta stay behind, right?" he said, gesturing toward Abigail's room.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Soda nodded, before looking back down the hallway. "I'll bring ya somethin back," Soda promised, before jogging down the hallway to catch up with the others.

That left Steve sitting there in his seat, eyes drifting toward Abigail's room. No one had gone in since Johnny left, his words still echoing in the back of his mind.

_"Talk to her, she can hear you."_

"Talk to her?" he mumbled to himself.

Yeah, he wanted to talk to her, but he wasn't sure what to do. He then let out a grunt, getting up from his seat.

"Fine," he muttered, walking into the room, her face the first thing he saw.

He winced slightly when he saw her though, his eyes gliding over her form. He winced against as he glanced at the neck brace and the tube that was down her throat, the tube that was helping her breath while she healed.

He stood there for a moment, hands stuffed in his pockets as he chewed on the corner of his bottom lip, shifting the weight on his feet. Where was he supposed to begin? He wasn't good at these kind of things. The ones that were, were Johnny or Ponyboy. Not Steve.

"Damn it," he mumbled, tilting his head back for a moment. "He said talk, but what the heck am I supposed to talk about?" he asked, looking back down at her.

She didn't say anything, but he didn't expect her too. She merely laid there, her chest raising up and down with each breath. Seeing her like this left him wondering how Darry could stand it. Granted, Steve wasn't in love with Abigail, but Darry was. Steve couldn't imagine having someone that he loved in the same predicament that Abigail was in. It'd probably tear him to pieces, so no doubt, that's what it was doing to Darry.

"What am I supposed to do?" he asked once more, hanging his head for a moment, before going and sitting down in the chair that Dally had occupied during the night.

He then pulled himself just a bit closer, leaving about a foot between the bed and the chair, drawing in a breath. He was far from comfortable. He then spoke the first thing that came to his mind.

"I saw Eve again the other day," he started, looking elsewhere for a moment. "She's decided not to talk to me again, sayin I'm not payin her enough attention," he said, letting out a small grunt.

He didn't know why he was telling her this in all honesty. In fact, he hadn't really told Soda much about what had been going on between him and Eve this time around.

"I think she's getting annoyed with all those girls that come around the DX. I mean, it's not like it's my fault they're always goin for me and Soda. Besides, he's always been Mr. Good-looking," he said offhandedly.

He sat there for a few minutes after that, his head leaned back as he stared up at the ceiling, the sound of the music from the radio flowing around him. He then closed his eyes, drawing in a breath.

"I'll never understand how a girl like you can listen to Rock," he chuckled, listening to the upbeat song coming out. "Rip it up alright," he sighed, referring to the song.

After that got done playing, _Anyway You Want Me_, started playing. This made Steve groan. This song definitely was _not_ meant for him. At least not in his mind anyway, at least not with Abigail around that is. Even then, he wasn't even sure that it'd be right for Eve really. Yeah, he loved her, but sometimes he really wondered. After all, they were always breaking up all the time, then they get back together a few weeks later. It was almost like a game of cat and mouse with them.

"You think it'll ever get better with me and Eve?" Steve asked, glancing Abigail's way.

Her only response was a breath of air and a faint cough from the tube, making him sigh.

"Guess not," he mumbled. "I wish you were awake, then maybe I'd get some real answers."

He then thought for a moment, a small grin etching onto his face.

"You ever think you and Superdope'll get hitched?" he asked suddenly, looking over at her. "Bet you after this, he'll ask ya," he chuckled, looking back over at the radio. "It's kinda strange, he actually seems human now," he breathed, closing his eyes. "He never was that great at times, but after their folks died, it didn't help matters none."

Abigail's hand twitched at that, but Steve didn't see it.

"Sometimes, he'd be about as harsh as Dallas," he told her, shaking his head at the memory. "I'd never admit this to anyone else, but I feel sorry for the kid. Pony got the worst of it."

Again, Abigail's fingers twitched, a faint sputter escaping her lips as she laid there.

"Hm?" Steve turned his head to look at her.

He then watched as another sputter escaped her, her arm twitching, fingers gripping the bed sheet.

"Abigail?" he stood of from his seat, nearly knocking it over as she began coughing, choking. "Somebody, help!" he yelled, running out of the room, catching a nurses attention.

Within moments, medical personnel were running into the room, pushing Steve out of the way.

"Hold her down," one of them said, watching as the nurses complied, holding her arms down as she struggled.

She just kept coughing, choking on the tube in her throat as she tried to breathe on her own. She was waking up, even if only for a bit.

"Honey, you've got to calm down," one of the nurses said, trying to keep her in the bed.

She continued to struggle though, eyes fluttering open and flicking across the room rapidly. Her face was full of fear and confusing as she tried to talk, choking as a result, the tube tearing at her throat as she struggled.

"Da...ry," she managed to choke out, head shaking furiously.

"Hold her still," the doctor instructed, quickly making his way over t the side.

The nurses did their job the best they could, keeping restrained as the doctor injected something into her IV. Moments later she stopped struggling, her mind becoming foggy as she laid there, the muscles in her arms becoming lax. Then, slowly, the nurses released their grip on her as they took a step back away from her.

"That will be all ladies," the doctor nodded, gesturing for them to leave.

He then turned toward Abigail, a curious look on his face.

"Well, this is rather unexpected," he mumbled, stepping back toward her. "Miss Winters, can you hear me?" he asked, placing a hand on the side of her head, earning a small groan in return. "Miss Winters?"

She made no response to answer him though as she laid there, her tired eyes locking with Steve as she fought to stay awake, her arm trying to reach out. She mumbled something, but that too was lost as she fell back into unconsciousness, all thought disappearing.

**Yay! Chapter 42! I actually had a bit of trouble getting this one out. I wasn't sure what to do at first exactly, but I figured I'd have a couple one on ones, even if she couldn't really respond. So, what'd you think of the conversations with Johnny and Steve? Don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story. I'd LOVE to hear FEEDBACK on this one and what you thought about the whole thing. Thanks everyone!**


	43. Ch 43: Thoughtful Flower

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 43**

**Thoughtful Flower**

"Steve?"

Steve jumped at the voice, turning to find Soda coming down the hallway with the others, a curious look on his face.

"Hey, somethin happen?" Soda asked, his brows furrowing at the look on Steve's face.

Steve stood there for a moment, still pressed up against the doorframe, his eyes staring into Abigail's room. At this point, they'd actually removed the tube in her throat, fearing that she'd pull it out if she woke up again. Although, they'd also considered strapping her down and keeping it in, but after an examination from the doctor they decided otherwise. That left her laying on the bed with a single strap on her forehead to keep it there, her arms laying freely.

"Steve?" Soda called, watching him jump again. "What happened?"  
"She woke up," he finally said after a moment, watching Soda's face light up with joy.

"When was this?" Soda asked, looking at his buddy.

"A bit ago," Steve told him, still staring into the room.

To be honest, Steve had been practically mortified when everything had happened, his nerves being put on edge. He been glued to his spot, merely watching as everything happened after he'd called for help. Yet, it was so strange that she'd stared at him like she had after waking, her eyes locking with his.

"They had to sedate her because she was freaking out," he explained, pushing away from the door. "She called out for Darry too," he told him, catching Soda's attention.

"Well, damn. Just when he's not here, somethin like that happens," Soda huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Which reminds me, where is he anyway?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Um..." Soda held a finger up, trying to think. "That's actually a good question," he laughed nervously, before scratching his head.

"All brawn, no brains," Steve muttered, shaking his head.

Typical Darry, that's what Steve thought.

"How long was she awake for?" Eden asked quietly, standing beside Two-Bit.

"Not long, maybe a total of three or five minutes max," he told her.

"Oh..."

This made the others sigh as Eden hung her head, taking a seat in one of the cushioned chairs as she sipped at her drink.

"Hey, I'll be right back," Soda announced, before turning back to everyone. "I'm gonna try and get ahold of Darry."

With that, he left everyone else standing there as he walked down the hallway to find a phone.

"Think he'll find him?" Two-Bit asked.

"Who knows," Ponyboy shrugged, sitting down to read his book that he'd picked up from the library on their way back.

T

"Come on, pick up," Soda muttered, tapping his fingers against the desk.

One of the nurses had allowed him to use the phone normally restricted for staff, allowing him to try and call Darry.

"Come on, Dar, pick up," he whined, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment.

After a bit, the answering machine picked up, relaying the recorded message that they'd set up. More like the one that they fixed anyway.

"_You've reached the Curtis and Winters residence. I'm sorry that we've missed you, but if you leave your name and number after the beep, we'll get back to you."_

Soda sighed at the recorded message in Darry's voice, before opening his mouth.

"Yeah, Darry, it's Soda. If you're around, pick up," he said into the phone. "Hello?"

He sighed after this.

"If you get home and see this, Abigail woke up for a bit. She was calling for you," he said, running a hand through his hair.

He hung up after that, not really seeing the point of continuing if he wasn't there. He then pulled a paper from his pocket. If it was a big job that would last for a while, Darry would normally give Soda the number for it incase something happened. So, he set it on the desk beside the phone and dialed the number, pressing the phone back against his ear.

He could hear it ringing on the other end. Once, twice, three times. After the fifth time, someone picked up.

"Hello?"

"Jack?"

"Soda?"

Soda laughed at this, he wasn't expecting Jack to answer the phone. Jack was one of Darry's work buddies, but also an old neighborhood friend if you will. Sadly, he'd moved out of the neighborhood about three years ago.

"Yeah, it's me," Soda nodded.

"How ya been kid?" Jack asked.

"Could be better," Soda sighed. "I wish I could talk more, but I'm actually look for Darry. Ya seen him?"

"Actually," Jack started, the sound of the phone rustling for a moment. "He's talking with the boss," he told him.

"Wait, so he's actually there?"

"Yep. Been here for the last 15 to 20 minutes to be honest. He's been talking to Jason the whole time."

Soda let out another sigh at this, leaning back against the desk.

"Look, is there anyway you could get him on the phone?" he asked hopefully, crossing his fingers.

"Yeah, hold on."

From there, Soda heard the sound of the phone being laid down, Jack's voice still being heard as he called for Darry. Then, after a moment, he heard another rustling on the other end of the line.

"Soda?" came the sound of Darry's voice.

"I swear, I wish there were an easier way of getting ahold of you."

"What do ya need kid?" Darry asked with a sigh, an obvious hint of fatigue in his voice.

T

Darry had been talking with his boss when Jack had come out of the little work trailer, calling his name as he went.

"Darrel," Jack called, waving at him.

"Jack, I'm kind of in the middle of something," Darry told him, his eyebrow raising slightly.

"Sorry man, but your brother's on the phone," Jack told him, causing Darry's brows to furrow.

"What?"

"Soda," he told him, answering the unasked question.

"Sorry about this Mitch, but I've gotta see what's goin on," Darry told his boss, before walking inside to use the telephone.

Once inside the small trailer, Darry found the phone laying on the desk. It was sitting there off of the receiver, so he picked it up and pressed it to his ear.

"Soda?" he asked, placing his other hand to rest on the desk, his brother's voice coming through from the phone a moment later.

"I swear, I wish there were an easier way of getting ahold of you," came the sound of his voice as though he'd been anxious to get ahold of him.

"What do ya need kid?" Darry asked tiredly, a sigh escaping his lips as he brought his hand up to his face, letting it slide over his face and against the stubble growing on his chin.

"You sound terrible," Soda chuckled softly.

"Soda," Darry said warily, his hand coming to rest on his hip this time.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized, before continuing with a sigh. "I figured I'd let you know that Abigail woke up," he said, unable to get another word in, before Darry spoke.

"What? When?" Darry asked quickly, his eyes now fully alert.

"It was when we were out eating," Soda started. "Steve stayed behind to watch her and apparently, she woke up for a bit," he told him.

"Damn it," Darry hissed quietly, pulling at his hair.

"I wish you could have been there Dar. She called for you," Soda told him, only managing to make it worse for his brother, but unfortunately he wasn't done. "Steve told me that they had to give her a sedative though because she started freaking out real bad when she woke up," he explained, hearing Darry sigh.

"How's she doin now?" he asked carefully, bitting his lip.

"She's sleepin again," Soda told him.

"Keep an eye on her for me?" Darry asked, even though he knew that his brother would.

"Sure."

"I'll be there soon," he promised, before hanging up.

After that, he let out a sigh, his hands curling until his nails left marks in his palms. Hearing that she'd woken up without him there bothered him, his heart tugging painfully. Especially, given the fact that she'd called out for him and he wasn't there to answer her. He could only imagine how terrified she'd been upon waking up in the hospital, that tube down her throat. He shivered at the thought, letting out a small grunt.

"I should have been there," he breathed, pulling at his hair once more, before walking toward the door.

He needed to get back to the hospital before anything else happened.

T

"So, is he comin back?" Ponyboy asked, looking up as his brother came walking down the hallway.

"Yeah, he's comin back Pone," Soda nodded, before walking passed his brother and over to the doorway of Abigail's room.

As he peaked inside, he found her laying there, looking just a bit more peaceful than she had been yesterday. Although, her breathing was still off to a degree, but he figured the doctors knew what they were doing. Besides, he was sure that she didn't want that darn tube back down her throat again. She still didn't look that great though, the beating she took now completely visible due to the bruises. Some of them were due to her fall though, but the worst was still her neck. Even with the neck brace on, he still managed to make out part of the bruise, which was now a disgusting purple. Even her wrist looked a mess from where her father had held it in an iron death grip.

"Whatcha thinkin, Soda?" Ponyboy asked, looking over at his brother.

Soda nearly jumped in response, before turning back around to face him.

"Just thinkin, that's all," he told him, before looking back into Abigail, a couple short gasps for air coming from her. "I'm still wondering if they know what they're doing or not."

"What do you mean?" he asked curiously.

"Just the way that she's been breathing and everything that's happened," Soda explained, before elaborating a bit more. "Her breathing is off Pone," he said, gesturing toward the sleeping woman in the room.

"Oh."

"Yeah," Soda sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Hey, Soda, you wanna play some rummy?" Steve asked, shuffling the deck of cards.

"Yeah, sure, why not?" he smiled, pulling a chair up.

"Anybody else want in?" Steve asked, looking around him.

"I don't know how to play," Eden voiced meekly.

"Don' worry babe, ole Two-Bit'll show ya," Two-Bit grinned.

T

Darry sat there in the parking lot for a few minutes, his arms and forehead buried on top of the steering wheel. His eyes then fell upon the passenger seat, a single daisy taking up residence there.

On his way back to the hospital, he'd stopped at the florist shop, picking out a delicate daisy. He would have gotten a rose, but they were too expensive. Plus, he figured she'd like the daisy better anyway. It suited her; beautiful, loyal, pure. Granted, a rose would suit her as well, but the daisy was simple, just asking to be loved and accepted. There were no standards to uphold, no facade, just the simple truth of innocent beauty and love.

So, with a final sigh he opened the door, stepping out into the lot as he grabbed the daisy in his hand. He then made his way into the hospital, shoving his keys into his pocket as he glanced around him.

"At least it's quiet," he muttered, walking down the hallway to where those in recovery stayed after surgery.

He knew that after another day or so, they'd probably move her to another room. Either that or let her possibly go home. He wasn't quite sure yet, but if she'd managed to wake up and struggle as she did, then she'd definitely have a chance at going home soon.

"Darry, you're back," Soda said, perking up upon seeing his older brother. "Man, am I glad to see you," he grinned.

"Hey, guys," Darry sighed rubbing the back of his neck.

"What's that for?" Two-Bit asked.

"Huh?"

"That frilly white thing you got there in your hand," he chuckled, pointing toward the daisy.

"It's a daisy," Darry aid dryly, not really in the mood for Two-Bit's picking and joking around.

"Man, didn't know you were a flower kind of guy," Two-Bit howled with laughter, a goofy grin on his face.

"Shut up Keith," Darry muttered, walking passed him.

"Ah, come on Dar, no need for name callin," he chuckled.

"Well, it _is_ your name after all," Ponyboy pointed out, making eye contact with his brother after a moment, watching as he entered Abigail's room.

The door was then closed behind him, leaving the others to themselves again.

"Well, darn, you'd think he'd be able to take a joke without callin me Keith," Two-Bit whined.

"Well, if you ever learned when to call a quits and knock it off, then maybe he wouldn't be throwin your name around," Ponyboy said pointedly.

"Oh, come off it kid," Two-Bit chuckled, before grabbing the youngest Curtis in a headlock.

"Dang it, Two-Bit, lay off," Ponyboy cried, trying to get out of his hold.

T

From inside the room, Darry could still hear the commotion outside that Two-Bit was causing. He put that aside though as he pulled a chair up, setting down beside Abigail's bed.

The first thing that he had noticed was that the tube that had been down her throat was now gone and she was breathing on her own. This in itself was a shock to him. He hadn't expected her to wake up so soon after what the doctors had said. Normally, if there was swelling on the brain, it would take days for the patient to wake up at times. Then again, it also depended on the person. Abigail, she was a strong willed woman and he knew that. It was also what he loved about her. She didn't give up.

"So stubborn," he chuckled, leaning over as he brought her hand to his lips, kissing it softly. "I wish I could have been here for you earlier," he whispered, rubbing his thumb back and forth over the top of her hand.

He then brought the daisy up, letting the petals brush her fingertips, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"I brought you something. Can you guess what it is?" he asked softly.

He received no response though, only the slight flickering behind her eyelids as she continued to dream.

"It's a daisy," he breathed, carefully placing the stem of the flower into her other hand, curling her fingers around it so that she could hold onto it. "It's not as pretty as a rose though, but I figured you wouldn't mind so much."

Unlike the others, he didn't feel foolish for talking to her while she slept. Like Johnny he had a feeling that she could still hear him. Even more so now that she'd already woken up once.

"You know, I was told that you put up quite a fight earlier," he conversed. "I'm proud of you, you know? You're just too stubborn to give up and lay there," he smiled.

Even though he was tired and exhausted, he was still in a bit of a better mood, but only a bit. After all, he still had a few things to deal with, her father being one of them. From what he knew though, the man was still in the hospital, staying only long enough for observation. After that, Darry wasn't sure where the man was going, but if he had anything to do with it then he'd be staying in the hospital. Either that or he'd be staying in a jail cell for quite some time.

As Darry sat there, he found himself thinking about things more and more, until he finally got an idea in his head.

"When you get out of here," he started, gripping her hand in both of his. "I'm gonna take you somewhere, alright?"

His eyes went toward her, watching her face for any reaction, any change. He felt of small twitch of her fingers.

"When you get out of here, we're going to go out to the countryside for a couple days, just me and you," he told her, feeling another twitch. "I'll finally be able to show you those things I've been tellin you about. The trees, the grass, the sky. Everything. For once, it'll be completely peaceful, just the two of us," he promised, watching her breath heave in and out, a couple gasps escaping.

He sat up a bit more, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright, I'm hear," he cooed. "Just relax, I'm here."

**That was chapter 43! Isn't Darry just the sweetest? Hm? Anyway...! Please, REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story! I'd REALLY like to HEAR what you people think. Also, you DON'T have to have an account to REVIEW!**

**IMPORTANT!:**

**I need reviews to help me get through writing the next chapter! I need inspiration people! Reviews let me know that I'm doing a good job! Seriously though, PLEASE REVIEW? Also, any IDEAS you might have are ALWAYS WELCOMED!**

**One last thing! I've been wondering when I should have Darry ask her to marry him. How long after being out of the hospital should I make it before he pops the question? MESSAGE and REVIEW and let me KNOW! I'm asking for YOUR benefit people.**

**Thanks again!**


	44. Ch 44: Start Talkin'

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 44**

**Start Talkin'**

Off and on, I would wake up, though not opening my eyes. I was tired, exhausted, even after sleeping. I could hear bits and pieces of the conversations around me, the words being spoken. It was almost like something was deliberately keeping me asleep. I wasn't even sure how long I'd been where I was because I'd lost track of time at this point. As I laid there though, I could hear the sound of Darry's voice, the sound itself so soothing to my ears. He wasn't always there by my side, but he was there for a large portion of it. I could even recall Steve coming in to talk to me. He'd mentioned something about Eve I think. That and the question of mine and Darry's relationship. From time to time, Two-Bit would visit, making jokes like always. Then, there was Dally. He never really said too much, merely talking to me about random stuff and how he was going to kick someones head in. Whenever Johnny would come in though, he'd talk about anything really, just something to talk about if it was on his mind. Even parts of that was blurred though to a degree as everything melded together with sleep. As I laid there, that's what Darry's words did to me, melding together into colors and shapes.

T

_Bursts of colors, a soft breeze, a warmth that I couldn't quite pin point. The sky above me slowly turned into a rainbow of colors. Purple, pink, orange, red, yellow, gold. I stood there alone though on a small space of earth, my other surroundings fading and blurring into nothing._

_As I stood there, I could feel a hand on mine, but when I looked down there was nothing. It felt odd in my opinion, strange. I couldn't explain feeling something that obviously wasn't there. I could even hear a faint melody playing from somewhere around me._

_"Darry?" I called out, looking around me for the warmth I'd come to know so well. "Where are you?"_

_There was no response._

_As I took a step forward, I found the land forming around me, appearing with each step that I took. I only now noticed that my feet were bare as I stepped upon the grass, the low cropped blades brushing my ankles. The thin yellow summer dress I was wearing moving with me as I walked, flowing freely like with every movement._

_"Guys?" I called. "Steve? Soda?"_

_A football appeared at my feet and I looked around once more, leaning down to pick it up. I knew that someone must have had to be around somewhere for the football to be there. After all, the guys enjoyed playing football in their spare time with one another._

_I looked around again as I started walking forward, taking my time as I went. The further I went though, the more things changed. The colors slowly started fading around me, turning into an endless darkness._

_"Ponyboy?" I called out, eyes searching the darkness, the name echoing around me. "Come on, guys, this isn't funny!" I cried out, gripping the football tighter in my arms._

_I then heard laughter, my temper flaring along with my fear._

_"It's not funny Two-Bit!" I cried, head whipping around in an attempt to pin point the voice._

_I could feel my heart pounding in my ears as I took a few steps back. Being in the dark was starting to freak me out because I wasn't sure where I was going or what was around me._

_"Darry?" I called out, wishing that he would answer and take me away from here. "Please, say something?"_

_It was no use. No matter how many times I cried out, there was no answer. At least, until I heard the sound of my father's voice, the sound making my blood run cold. It was echoing around me, slowly becoming louder. It wasn't until I found myself right in front of him that I realized just how truly scared I felt, the look on his face a leering mess of drunk rage._

_"Dad," I whispered, flinching as he came toward me._

_"I should have gotten rid of you a long time ago," he said evenly, taking a few steps toward me._

_At this, I stepped back, inching my way further away from him. I didn't want to be anywhere near the man._

_"Perhaps, I should have just dropped you off in a girls home after your mother died," he voiced, his words seeming so familiar._

_I was sure that I'd heard that before, but I couldn't quite place it for some reason._

_"Leave me alone!" I cried, backing up further, until I found myself against a wall._

_Within seconds, he was upon me, choking me as he held tightly to my throat._

_"You're nothing," he hissed._

_Voices played in my head again as I stood there, sounds echoing around me. In the back of my mind, I saw something similar. I was up against the wall, my father's hand wrapped tightly around my throat. It felt like dejavu. Although, this time, I had nothing to defend myself with. I stood there helpless._

_"D-Darry," I choked out, struggling to breathe._

_The man before me just chuckled._

_"Sorry, but I don't think you'll be seeing him again any time soon," he told me. "And after this, Eden will be long gone from here," he whispered, tightening his grip._

_I could feel hot tears falling at his words, hearing them echo around in my head as wetness slowly dripped from my chin._

_Darry..._

_"Abigail..."_

_Suddenly, the world around me started to fade, until I was left in darkness once more._

_"Abigail..." the voice rang out again, a faint warmth running down my cheeks. "Abigail..."_

_"Darry," I whispered, recognizing the voice._

T

Darry sighed as he sat there. Today was Abigail's fifth day stuck in the hospital. She seemed to be waking up off and on, but never enough to actually get a response out of. Occasionally, she'd mumble in her sleep, but that was about it. Whatever drugs the doctors had her on, it was keeping her under. Even though he was a bit annoyed with this, he knew it was for the best, allowing her body to try and heal itself. It didn't make it any easier though, but he put up with it, staying by her side for as long as he was able.

Although as he sat there reading aloud, he found his eyes wandering toward her every so often, watching as she twitch every now and then. It actually wasn't until he found it becoming more prominent that he began to worry.

"Abigail?" he breathed, getting up to stand beside her, his hand reaching out to touch her cheek.

They were wet, the tears leaking from her eyes sticking to his fingers.

"Abigail," he voiced again, hoping to wake her up.

He was met with a whimper though as she laid there, her hand curling and gripping the bed sheet.

"Darry..." she mumbled, her eyelids slowly fluttering open.

"Abigail," he whispered, mouth hanging open slightly.

T

I could feel myself finally waking up as I laid there, pushing myself to open my eyes. It was hard, but I was finally able to do it, my vision blurry.

"Abigail," I heard someone whisper, the voice close by my side.

It hurt, but I managed to turn my head a bit, blinking a few times in an attempt to clear my vision. The moment I did, I felt a small smile breaking onto my face.

"Darry?" I whispered, wincing slightly as I spoke.

"Finally, you're awake," he breathed a sigh of relief, nearly falling to his knees.

He held back though, easily pulling his chair right next to the bed.

It didn't take long for me to realize how exhausted he looked, his appearance frazzled to say the least. I let out a small giggle of sorts though as I looked up at his face, earning a look of confusion. I just smiled though, reaching my hand out, until it was upon his cheek.

"Looks like someone is growing a beard," I mused softly, allowing my thumb to stroke his cheek, the hairs on his jaw tickling the skin of my finger.

I wasn't used to seeing this too often. Normally, he was clean shaven. Then again, he'd obviously been dealing with a lot. Honestly, I couldn't blame him though, since this was my fault. I was the cause of his pain right now and it was all too obvious.

"I'm sorry, Darry," I whispered, my thumb running over the corner of his lip.

"For what?" he asked, bringing his hand up and placing it on top of mine, keeping me from removing it.

I was quiet for a moment as I laid there watching him, his thumb stroking the back of my hand, before turning his head and kissing the inside of my palm. I felt my face heat up a bit as he did this, watching him smile down at me.

"Darry," I started, trying to sit up, only to wince.

"Don't try to get up," he told me, standing up and gently pressing me back into the bed.

I couldn't help, but to sigh at this. I wanted to sit up, but it hurt. It hurt to move my neck and it hurt to move my right arm. As I sat there longer, I also came to realized a low throbbing pain in the back of my head, slowly lifting my hand to touch it. What I felt shocked me though. Through the pain of toughing it, I felt the smoothness of skin, my eyes widening slightly. My brows furrowed together as I looked over at Darry, a slightly nervous look present on his face.

"Darry?" I spoke hesitantly, licking my lower lip for a moment.

I watched as he bit his lip, trying to think of what to say.

"Um... Well," he paused, trying to find the right words, almost as if he thought I'd bite his head off or something or other. "Uh, they kind of had to shave part of your head," he chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

I just stared at him, blinking as I tried to process his words. They'd cut my hair, shaved it. From what I could feel, I could tell that they'd also chopped the back up pretty badly. Then, after a moment, I finally let out a sigh. Looking toward him, I let a small smile pull at my lips, gripping his hand in mine.

"You know, Two-Bit'll never leave me alone about this," I told him, gazing up into his eyes, a small yawn escaping my lips.

I watched his eyes soften as he stared down at me, moving closer to the bed until he was nearly nose to nose with me, his hot breath tickling my face. How I had missed being this close to him.

"You're still beautiful, no matter what," he assured me, taking the time to press his lips to mine in a soft sweet kiss.

This made me smile, a hand coming up to rest upon his cheek.

"I love you Darry," I whispered.

"I love you too," he smiled, moving to kiss my forehead.

He then met my gaze, before standing up, glancing toward the door.

"I'll be right back, alright?" he said, giving my hand a squeeze, before walking out of the room.

T

Darry closed the door behind him, before allowing himself to lean against the wall, his hand running over his face. His eyes watered as he stood there, a goofy smile on his face, before pinching the bridge of his nose lightly and wiping at his eyes. Leave it to Abigail to pass off a partially shaved head as a joke.

"The things I put up with," he chuckled half heartedly, shaking his head as he pushed off the wall to walk down the hallway.

Now that she was finally awake and coherent, Darry had less to worry about. He only hoped that there wouldn't be any further complications from here on out.

"Um, excuse me, Ma'am?" Darry called, raising his hand hesitantly.

The woman turned around to look at him, giving him a curious look.

"Yes, Mr. Curtis?" she addressed, folding her arms over the clipboard in her arms.

"My fiance just woke up. The doctor said to alert one of the nurses if it happened," he explained, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Thank you for letting me know sir," she nodded, before walking off toward Abigail's room, walking inside.

Darry made quick work in following her, walking along behind her.

"I'm sorry dear, fiance or not, he'll have to wait outside for this," the woman informed Abigail, earning a curious look from her.

"Fiance?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, causing the nurse to look between the two.

Darry gave Abigail a nervous look for a moment, silently asking for her cooperation. She seemed to catch on, nodding her head as she put on a smile for the nurse.

"Of course," she nodded, before turning toward Darry. "Darry, _honey_, be a dear and wait outside?" she asked sweetly, but not before giving him a look that said they'd talk about it later.

"Of course dear," he smiled, bitting back a chuckle.

She played this game good, no doubt about that.

T

I closed my eyes as Darry left the room for a second time, shaking my head. We were definitely going to be having a talk after this about all of this fiance business. The only reason why I hadn't said anything to dispute his words was because of the look that had been on his face, merely pleading for my cooperation. It didn't mean that I wasn't curious about the whole thing though. No doubt, if the guys knew about it they'd likely give him a hard time about it.

"Okay deary, lets get that gown off of you and those bandages changed," the nurse said in a rather chipper voice.

I had to hold back a groan at this, not that eager to actually sit up at the moment. Still, I didn't seem to have much a choice when it came to it.

"Now, I'm going to sit the bed up a bit more, so this may hurt a little," she warned, moving to the back of the bed.

Before I knew it, it was being cranked up, leaving me in a sitting position as I let out a groan. This definitely was not fun.

"Sorry about that dear. Now, lets get that gown off," she said, helping me sit up just a bit more, before undoing the ties in the back.

A moment later, it was laying in my lap, my entire front exposed. As I looked down though, I found bandages wrapped tightly around my chest, all the to my stomach. I also noticed that part of it was stained red with blood. This in itself made me feel sick to my stomach just about.

"Just sit still dear and I'll take care of it," she assured me, moving to undo the bandages.

All I could do was sit there quietly as she removed the bandages, wincing when they pulled away from the tender skin. I grimaced when I saw what was underneath. It was a scabbing mess from the incisions that had been made, the beginnings of an angry scar staring back at me.

"Don't worry, it'll heal," she told me, grabbing a damp rag, before pressing it to my chest.

I winced in pain, trying to pull back, only to hit the back of the bed.

"There we go," she smiled, removing the rag after a minute or two to finally reveal clean skin.

Now, I could really see the damage that had been done.

T

As Darry waited outside, he could hear the hisses of pain from inside the room. It was obvious that Abigail wasn't taking things too well as the nurse tried changing the bandages. If he could, he'd be in there with her, but he didn't want to embarrass either of them. It had already been bad enough that after she'd come home after the attack that she's barely been able to keep her shirt together. Not that most guys would have minded, but he saw himself as a decent man, one with a head on his shoulders. Two-Bit on the other hand, he wasn't so sure at times, but that was Two-Bit.

As he continued to stand there though, his mind went back toward Abigail and the inevitable conversation that he knew was now unavoidable. He was just afraid that he'd gotten himself stuck in a rut with no way out. Not that she wasn't understanding, but he couldn't change how he felt. He hated being stuck in a lie.

"Mr. Curtis?"

The sudden voice caused Darry to jump, whirling around to face it.

"Y-yes?" he asked, blinking for a moment.

The nurse stood before him, a smile on her face.

"You may go back in," she said softly. "I'll fetch the doctor shortly," she informed him, before walking off down the hallway.

"Alright then," he sighed quietly, turning back to the door and walking inside, closing it behind him for privacy. "So..." he began, clasping his fingers together.

"Start talkin'."

**Alright everyone, that was chapter 44. I really hope that everyone liked it? I figured that through all the uncertainty, I'd at least add a bit of humor. Anyway, please REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story. I'd love to hear feedback on this one. So far, people are agreeing on him proposing out in the countryside. If ANYONE has ANY ideas to add to that event, I'd LOVE to hear them.**

**IMPORTANT:**

**You do NOT have to have and account to REVIEW. I REALLY need feedback to keep you all happy. That way, I know what I can improve on or add to make people enjoy things even more. The more FEEDBACK I get, the BETTER the outcome. Help me with IDEAS people. I've had a VERY emotionally draining week, so I REALLY need some help here. Thanks everyone!**


	45. Ch 45: Explanation

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 45**

**Explanation**

One week later found Abigail back at home. It had been an interesting few days at home, especially since Johnny was staying with them now. Granted, she didn't have custody of him yet because she had to wait until she was 21, but that was only a month away and then she'd be able to file for it. Currently, it made no difference to Johnny though. As long as he was staying with them, then he was perfectly fine with things. Regardless, Abigail was just happy to have him around. Even though he couldn't do very much, he still made his best effort.

Each day, Johnny would help around the house, whether it was making food or something else. Even though Abigail made protests against it, he still kept at it. Normally, she'd tell him that it was her job or Darry's to do that, but he wanted to help. Johnny didn't want to feel useless and if he just sat around all day, then that's what he was going to feel like. Useless. What was hardest though was getting around the house in his wheel chair. He still wasn't able to walk and he found the wheelchair to be a hassle when trying to go into the bathroom or anything else. Darry had tried to fix that though by filing out part of the bathroom door to make it big enough for Johnny to fit through and also moving the dining table. He'd made sure to move it away from the piano, leaving just enough room for the wheelchair to pass.

"Johnny, hun, it's time for breakfast," Abigail called from the kitchen, sliding plates onto the table with the practiced ease of a normal routine.

This in itself was a delight for Johnny, actually being able to eat breakfast with everyone else without really having to worry about anything. So, regardless of the fact that he was still tired, he rolled his way into the dining room and pulling up to the table.

"Here ya go, hun," she smiled, sitting a plate of eggs down in front of him, before going to the back door.

"Darry, breakfast is ready!" she called, her head sticking out of the door.

"Alright, I'll be in in a minute," he called back, hammering a few more nails into the plywood.

Abigail just sighed at this, shaking her head as a small smile pulled at her lips. Darry was so intent on finishing his work, but that's just how he was. After all, he was doing this for more than just himself, he was doing it for the entire gang. If they managed to get custody of Johnny, then it would prove to be a lot safer for the kid, but it also meant that he'd need a room of his own. That's why Darry was working on building an addition to the house. After all, they had plenty of room at the back of the house for a small room to be added, and really that was all that he needed. Granted, he'd still have to be helped into bed and stuff, but that was the least of their worries.

"How long do you think it'll take him to finish it?" Johnny asked curiously.

"I'm not really sure to be honest Johnny," she told him, carefully pulling out a seat to sit down. "Oops, almost forgot the drinks," she laughed lightly, feeling a bit frazzled at forgetting them.

She then grabbed three glasses and carried them back to the table, before grabbing the pitcher of milk out of the morning, it was just the three of them, since everyone else had already left. To be honest, Abigail had slept in a bit later with Darry, missing the chance to watch the others leave. Not that she minded much. In all honesty, she actually couldn't get up as early as everyone else since being back. She was still far to sore, allowing Darry to help her with most things. Granted, it was actually him that offered to help her with everything, completely refusing to let her lift certain things. This in itself annoyed her to a degree. It wasn't him that annoyed her though, just the fact that she was unable to do things on her own. It also gave Johnny an excuse to help out more.

Upon hearing another nail being hammered outside, Abigail walked over to the back door, pushing it open and stepping outside.

"Darrel Curtis, inside, now," she ordered, pointing to the door.

She heard him sigh, before dropping the hammer onto the ground.

"Fine, fine," he said, finally agreeing as he raised his hands in defeat. "But I'm taking care of the dishes," he told her.

"Darry!" she whined.

"No, I'm doing the dishes and that's that," he said pointedly. "And after that, you're going back upstairs and laying down, even if I have to carry you upstairs myself."

"But," she started, before being interrupted by Darry.

"No buts," he argued, pulling her inside with him and closing the door. "You need rest and that's that," he said, placing a hand against the small of her back, only to have her whine.

"But I'm tired of just laying around all the time," she complained, shoulders slumping a bit.

"Look, you just sit down for now and I'll grab the toast," he breathed, guiding her over to the table, before walking back into the kitchen and over to the toaster.

"Has anyone ever told you how annoying you can be?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Darry merely chuckled at this, bringing the toast over on a plate.

"You know," he started, placing a hand lightly on her shoulder. "I think you'd be the first," he joked, a smile tugging at his lips as he set the plate down on the table.

She stuck her tongue out at him in response, a childish look on her face, which in Darry's mind made her look even more adorable.

"Oh, real cute," he laughed, ruffling what was left of her hair.

She pouted at this, causing a small laugh to escape Johnny's lips, her face going slightly red as a result.

T

Abigail let out a sigh as she laid there on the bed, her eyes gazing up at the blank ceiling. As ordered, she was laying back down, but it still hadn't been without putting up a bit of a fight. The thought itself caused a small smile to pull at her lips as she remembered it, Darry carrying her up the stairs in his arms as she continued to whine and protest. It didn't seem to have fazed him at all as he had taken it in stride.

"Darry," she breathed, the sound coming out like a sigh as she continued to lay there, the next thought coming into her mind being the hospital.

His explanation of everything went through her mind, her lips twitching again. He'd seemed so embarrassed when he'd had to face her with an explanation. It almost resembled a small child who'd been caught trying to sneak a cookie out of the cookie jar while their mother was supposed to be in the other room. This in itself made her laugh as she thought about it, his slightly reddened face coming to mind.

_"Well, um, you see," he started, wringing his hands._

_It was as if he wanted to be anywhere over than the room with her at the moment. Even worse, he was now caught explaining the lie that he had created without her knowing._

_"Yes?" she pressed, raising an eyebrow in apprehension._

_"Um," he licked his lower lip, before sighing. "Please don't be mad?" he asked nervous, unconsciously bringing his hand up to scratch the side of his jaw._

_"Now, why would I possibly be mad?" she asked, try to hide the amusement in her voice._

_To her, it was rather funny seeing him like this, caught up in his own lie as he attempted to get the words out. Truth was, she wasn't mad at all, just curious as to what his excuse for it was. After all, she could easily understand why he had done it, lying and telling the medical staff that he was her fiance. Doing so made things a bit easier so that he could keep an eye on her. If anyone had known that he hadn't really been her fiance, not only would he be in trouble, but he likely wouldn't have been able to see her or stay by her side like he had all this time. In the condition that she was in, only family would have been allowed, and at this point that's practically what he was to her._

_"Well, I know that you don't like liars," he admitted quietly, not catching the twitching on her face as she bit back a laugh, coughing instead._

_"Let's forgetting about that, and why don't you tell me why you did it?" she asked._

_She was so close to losing it as she tried to keep a straight face. If he didn't hurry up with the explanation, then this whole facade was going to come crumbling down on top of her and ruin the whole thing. Then, he'd find out that she really didn't care about it that much and was just keeping him in what would seem hot water for a kick. She wasn't trying to really be mean by doing it. She was really only doing it to keep her mind off of the pain that she was currently in._

_"Look, I know we haven't gotten that far yet, but..." Darry looked down at the floor, his cheeks a faint red._

_She's never seen him embarrassed like that, save for when Two-Bit had given her that outlandish gift for Christmas. Then again, Christmas was far more embarrassing for Darry than the current situation. Right now, it was just uncomfortable because he'd be caught red handed._

_"I didn't want to leave your side and I hadn't told them we were _engaged_, then they would have kicked me out of the room," he rambled out all at once._

_Moments later, Abigail was laughing, a hand over her mouth._

_"W-what's so funny? Y-you're not mad?" he asked hesitantly, brows furrowed as he gave her a curious look as though she'd lost her mind._

_"I-I'm sorry," she choked out through the laughters, a smile on her face. "I'm not mad," she giggled, watching his eyes narrow after a moment from realization._

_"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" he accused, pointing a finger at her._

Abigail had to try hard not to laugh as she remember it, a smile on her face. How she had tortured him with something so simple. Granted, she felt a bit bad for doing it, but she had to do something. He'd been pretty much fine though after a bit of nudging and promising never to do something like that to him again. She'd easily agreed to it though.

"I still can't believe he was so worried over the whole thing," she muttered quietly, a yawn escaping her lips as she laid back on the pillow a bit more.

"Darry?" she called out, hearing the door being pushed open.

There was no response though, but she could hear the faint padding of feet on the floor making her curious. A moment later, there was a weight upon the bed, causing her to open her eyes.

"Sparky?" she questioned, looking at the German Shepard sitting in front of her. "Why don't you go down stairs and find Darry?" she yawned, closing her eyes again, only to earn a whine.

She sighed at this, shaking her head.

"Fine, but you have to lay down," she told him, watching him wag his tail, before laying down beside her with another whine for attention. "Just lay down Sparky," she yawned, placing a hand on top of his head.

That seemed to quiet him enough until she fell asleep, her fingers locked through the fur on his neck.

**Alright everyone, that was chapter 45. You finally got your explanation from Darry. Anyway! Please, don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/ story. As I've said before, I LOVE hearing FEEDBACK! It helps me write and know that I'm doing a good job. REVIEWS and MESSAGES also make for HAPPY READERS. If ANYONE has ANY IDEAS, feel free to let me know.**

**IMPORTANT:**

**Many people have agreed that they'd like to see Darry propose to Abigail in the countryside. I myself also love that idea, so that's what's going to happen. ALTHOUGH, I need input on what else to do while they're in the countryside. Events that could happen, things that they can do. I've got a picnic, stars, and possibly dancing so far from people, but I'd like a bit more if you could? Like I said, the more input that you give me, the better I can do. I'm going to have a chapter for each day in the countryside, so that's TWO chapters for while they are gone. I need enough input for TWO days/chapters. I'm serious people, I NEED help with this one if you want it to see the light of day soon. ALSO remember you do NOT have to have an ACCOUNT to REVIEW. If you CAN'T MESSAGE me, then send me a REVIEW INSTEAD. Thanks everyone!**


	46. Ch 46: To Ask Permission

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 46**

**To Ask Permission**

Another two weeks later after Darry and Abigail's little _disagreement_, found them working through things. At this point, Darry had brought up the topic of going to the countryside with her for the weekend, a smile on his face when she'd gotten excited. Although, he had an ulterior motive for going, but still. He'd been happy nonetheless though when he'd brought it up, coming to the conclusion that she'd been sleeping enough and cooperating. He figured that since she wasn't in as much pain at the moment, that now was as good a time as any for their trip. It also gave Abigail something to look forward to with another surgery coming up after the trip. No sooner would they be back, she'd have to be back at the hospital to get surgery done on her arm in order to fix it the rest of the way. They'd probably be putting in a few pins to keep it in place so that it could heal properly. Granted, she wouldn't be having much fun with it afterward, but that was beside the point. She'd need therapy for it later too possibly, depending on what the doctors decided on. That didn't seem to deter her much though as he watched her ironing clothes in the living room, using her left hand for everything since she couldn't do much with her right one at the moment.

As Darry took further notice, he found that she seemed more at ease today, a certain grace about her movements. Yes, he was sure. She definitely seemed more at ease as she stood there, iron in hand as she let it glide over the clothes gently, steam pouring from it as it pressed out the wrinkles. There was still a tired look in her eyes though as she stood there, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it used to be.

"Why don't you come sit down?" he offered, catching her eyes with his.

"I'm almost done," she assured him, turning back to continue ironing one of his shirts as she took extra care with the shoulders and collar.

"You said that half an hour ago," he pointed out, a knowing look on his face.

"Yes, and I only have one arm at my disposal, so I think I'm doing pretty good," she said, obviously proud of herself, sitting the iron down for a moment.

Darry took this time to grab her, pulling her over onto his lap before she could reach out to grab it again.

"Darry!" she laughed, trying to get up, but he wouldn't allow it.

No, he wrapped his arm firmly around her waist, keeping her where she was while still being careful of her arm. He wanted her to take a break, especially, since she'd been at this for at least an hour already.

"You need a break," he told her, feeling her shift a bit on his lap.

"But the shirt," she started, before being interrupted.

"I think my shirt can wait a few minutes," he chuckled, pulling her to him just a bit more.

"You do realize how stubborn I am, right?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, only to earn a grin in return.

"Yes," he said simply, before gripping her chin lightly between his fingers. "But I wouldn't have you any other way," he breathed, before pressing his lips to hers.

He found her face full of embarrassment once he pulled away, a smile tugging at his lips at her reddened cheeks.

"You did that on purpose," she grumbled, shoving against his chest with her good hand, causing him to chuckle.

"But of course," he grinned, having a hard time biting back a chuckle as she got up to start work back on ironing his shirt.

She merely mumbled as she stood there, sliding the hot metal over the fabric, pressing out all the rest of the wrinkles. Within minutes, she was working on the next one, the previous one painstakingly folded and resting on top of the basket on the floor.

"What do you think the guys are doing?" she asked suddenly, looking up from the current shirt that she was ironing to look at him.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "Maybe down at the lot. Although, I think I heard them say something about the bowling alley before they left," he said, picking his newspaper up for a moment to glance down at one of the articles.

He grimaced when he saw what it said. It was about them, Abigail, to be more precise. A reporter or journalist had apparently gotten wind of things and decided to put it in the paper, even going as far as to snap a picture of her. How they'd managed that though, he had no idea. It annoyed him to no end though as they explained things in the how she'd apparently come home to be greeted by her father. Reunited at last or are they? That was the title. Then they went on to explain how she'd started a rather heated argument with him, resulting in her fathers stabbing and her near fatal accident with the stairs. There were a few gaps in the story though as far as her stay was concerned, but he was thankful for that. No one needed to know what had gone on in there, he didn't need to be reminded of it since it was still fresh in his mind, an image of them shocking her back to life hitting him full force. He had to crumple it up, before getting out of his chair, and tossing the paper down onto the seat.

"Darry?" Abigail's voice was wary, laced with worry as she stared at him.

One moment he was fine, the next, he was obviously upset.

"What's wrong?" she asked, setting the iron down, her eyes drifting toward the paper.

"It's nothing," he sighed, walking off into the kitchen for a drink, leaving her standing there to wonder.

She glanced down at the paper again, before reaching out and picking it up, carefully pealing the thing back open. From there, she glanced around at the articles, skimming them. Finally, she caught sight of it. _Reunited at Last or Are They?_ She could feel her hand shake slightly, fingers curling around the paper. Her nails tore into it a bit without even realizing it.

"What is this?" she whispered, reading it.

_-The father, Roger Winters was apparently stabbed out of an act of violence, an outburst from his oldest daughter, Abigail Lee Winters. Though, sources can not confirm the whole truth, as we have yet to hear word from the Curtis residence. I don't know about everyone else, but it doesn't seem safe for children in that house.-_

She stopped reading at that point, not wanting to look at it any longer, before tearing it into pieces. She couldn't stand to look at the thing.

"Remind me never to read the paper again?" she called out deafly, leaving the mess laying, before going back to the ironing board.

"Huh?" he peaked his head out of the kitchen, eyes widening slightly when he realized what she was talking about. "Damn," he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Just what he needed, her in a bad mood. Unfortunately, he couldn't do much about it now. He hadn't thought to take the paper with him after crumpling it, leaving it there on the chair.

With a sigh, he walked back into the living room, picking up the pieces that she'd left behind of the shredded newspaper. Perhaps that's what he should have done, torn it up instead of just crumpling it and leaving it on the chair. Now, he held the pieces in his hands.

"Hey, I have an idea, why don't we go see Joe?" he suggested, coming to stand beside her.

"I don't know," she said, a bit unsure of herself.

"Come on, you haven't even gotten to see him since leaving the hospital. I'm sure he's worried about you," he told her, while placing a hand on her shoulder, knowing that she couldn't dispute what he was saying.

"Alright," she sighed, finally giving in.

She didn't miss the smile on his face though as he grabbed her scarf, carefully wrapping it around her neck, before grabbing her jacket from the coat rack.

"Thanks," she smiled, turning around so that he could help her with it.

Granted, she couldn't wear it properly because of her arm, but that didn't stop her from trying to dress warm. It was still kind of embarrassing for her though when he had to help her get dressed to a degree. He still helped her nonetheless though, not thinking any less of her for being unable to do it herself.

"Now, let's get out of here," he smiled, unplugging the iron from the wall, before grabbing his own jacket.

Not that he really needed the jacket, but he still grabbed it nonetheless, shrugging it on.

T

"There's no going back now," Darry told her, looking to his right as he turned the key off and killed the engine. "So, you ready?" he asked.

She looked at him for a moment, eyes trailing back to the diner.

"Like you said, there's no going back now," she replied, using his own words to express herself.

He chuckled at this, easily sliding out of the truck, before walking around to her side.

"Come on then," he smiled, opening her door to help her out.

"Thanks," she nodded, gripping his upper arm with her good hand as he lifted her out.

Once she was on the ground, he closed the door, taking her hand in his as he led her inside.

They were met with the chime of bells as they entered, the familiar sound hitting Abigail's ears. It'd been a while since she'd heard them.

"Well, he-llo there handsome," came the sound of a woman as she walked toward Darry, an apron wrapped around her waist.

Abigail rolled her eyes at this. Typical Danny. The woman had no shame.

"Um, hi?" Darry greeted, an eyebrow raised in question, before turning his gaze back toward Abigail.

It was hard to miss the look on her face as she gave him a side glance, a tired, yet annoyed look that was obviously placed toward the bold woman who stood before them.

"How can I help you sweetheart?" she asked, a sickly sweet smile on her face as she winked at him.

Abigail swore that if she didn't cut it out soon, then there would be serious problems, but Darry made quick work in fixing it.

"I'm sorry, but we're just here to see Joe. So, if you'll excuse me," he said, moving around her to the man counter, sitting down on a bar stool for a moment.

Without waiting for further words, he leaned forward, pressing his lips to Abigail's in a chaste kiss.

"See? I can handle myself," he chuckled softly, whispering in her ear.

She had to stop herself from blushing at his actions, now having no hair to cover it up.

"I never said that you couldn't," she pointed out, flicking his forehead.

Their little conversation was cut short though as Joe's voice soon came forward.

"Why, do my eyes deceive me or is that the lovely Curtis couple?" Joe exclaimed, making Abigail's face go red within seconds.

"Joe!" she hissed, trying to hide her face in her hands.

"It is!" he grinned, coming out of the kitchen and around the counter to hold her in his arms.

She tried her hardest not to cry out at the force, a small gasp escaping.

"Careful, she's still healing," Darry told him, watching for any other signs of pain or discomfort.

"Oh, sorry dear," Joe apologized, scratching the back of his neck. "I'm just glad that you're okay," he said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

At that, she leaned forward, wrapping an arm around his neck. Her face was in his shoulder as she spoke, a sigh escaping her lips.

"I'm sorry for worrying you," she said quietly, feeling his hand on the small of her back for a moment, before finally pulling back.

The felt a hand being placed on her cheek after a moment, a meaningful look on Joe's face.

"It's not your fault, you got that? I knew this day might eventually come where that good for nothing came back. It's not your fault though sweetheart, you got that?"

She nodded her head solemnly, looking him in the eyes finally. It was hard for her to hold his gaze like that. Especially, when she did blame herself to a degree. She'd caused so much trouble for everyone without even meaning to. She had to remember though that this was her father's doing, not her own.

"Now, if you don't mind, I think Darrel here needs to talk to me about something," Joe said, obviously seeing something in the man's eyes that she couldn't.

Before Joe did anything though, he went around the counter and got her a slice of pie, sitting it down in front of her.

"Here you go," he smiled, stabbing a fork into the top of it. "Now, just sit here and eat and we'll be back in in a few minutes," he told her, clapping a hand onto Darry's back and leading him around back of the building.

T

I sighed as I looked down at the plate in front of me, a slice of apple pie sitting there quietly, the crust flaking off easily when I touched it. I was still curious as to what those two had to talk about so privately though. Then again, I wouldn't want the whole diner knowing about my personal business anyway.

"Well, at least it's still warm," I mumbled, sticking a small piece of pie into my mouth and swallowing it.

I could hear snickering somewhere behind me though as I sat there on my stool, being careful and discrete as I looked around. It wasn't hard to figure out who it was coming from.

At the end of the diner sat a group of guys, a few _big shot_ Greasers that thought that they were tuff stuff. Darry was way tuffer though by far, same with Dallas. They still sat there though with their greased back hair and funny looks. Each with a leather jacket draping over their torsos. It kind of reminded her of Two-Bit, but at least Two-Bit was a good kid for the most part.

"Man, would you look at her hair," one snickered, his voice loud enough for her to hear.

She scowled in response, annoyed by his words. It wasn't her fault that the doctor cut her hair. The only thing that she had done was fix it, cutting off what she could manage to even it out. Darry had been kind enough to help her with it. Honestly, she was lucky if she even had an inch of hair on her head anywhere. It was more like half an inch max, another reason for Two-Bit's occasional jokes.

"I dare you to go up there and touch it," one of the others egged him.

"You do it," he grinned, looking my way.

I had to turn my eyes back to my plate quickly, earning a few more laughs.

"Man, I think she likes me."

I rolled my eyes. That was never going to happen. I'd rather have Two-Bit than that guy any day of the week, that, I was sure of.

"Please, Darry, hurry up," I groaned.

The last thing that I wanted to deal with were these idiots.

T

"Now, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Joe asked.

"How did you?" Darry wasn't sure how to word it.

"I saw it in your eyes boy, now, spit it out," he told him.

"Well, I," he started, eyes looking around for a moment. "I'm taking Abigail into the countryside this weekend, just the two of us," Darry told him, licking his bottom lip.

"I'm sure that's not all that you wanted to tell me though," Joe assumed, folding his arms over his chest.

Darry sighed after a moment, running a hand through his hair. If he was going to ask, he had to ask now.

"No, no it's not," he told him. "Actually, I kind of wanted to ask you something."

"Alright, well, ask then boy," Joe chuckled.

"I know you're always kidding around with us when we come in and stuff, but I have a feeling that you were serious about some of it," Darry started, getting up the nerve to ask.

If he was this nervous now, then how was he supposed to ask Abigail when his chance came around. Would he mess up and ruin it?

"I..."

He took one final breath before letting it out, making up his mind that he had to do it and there was no going back.

"I want to ask her to marry me," he said finally. "I know that you're the closest thing that she has to a real father, so I figured I should ask you first."

It was quiet after that, making him even more nervous than before. Joe wouldn't say no, would he?

"Well," Joe started, seeming a bit surprised. "I thank you for asking," he told him, scratching his forehead for a moment. "To be honest, I'd think that you'd wait a bit longer."

"That's the thing though Joe," Darry sighed. "After everything that's happen..." he paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath. "After what happen in the hospital...after how close I came to losing her, I realized that I couldn't wait any longer," he told him. "I'm afraid that if I wait any longer, I'll never get another chance, that something will happen and then she'll be gone."

This left Joe standing there speechless. He knew Darry was speaking the truth. Not to mention, after everything that he'd seen between the two, he knew that Darry loved her with all that he had. Joe knew that the man before him would always love her, always take care of her, protecting her. Darry would cherish her until the day that he died, that much was obvious.

"And you're sure of this?" Joe asked, already knowing the answer to his question even before he opened his mouth to speak it.

"I'm sure," Darry nodded.

"Well, I guess I can't argue with that then," he chuckled, watching Darry's eyes water. "Just promise me one thing Darrel," he said.

"Anything."

"Take care of her?" he asked, looking up at the man before him.

"Always," Darry said confidently, a smile on his face.

"Now, there better be a ring on my girl's finger next time I see her," Joe said, a grin on his face as he began leading Darry back around the building.

"Don't worry, there will be," Darry assured him.

T

"Go on," one of the guys pushed, shoving the other onto his feet.

I merely closed my eyes at this, shoving another bit of pie in my mouth as I tried to ignore them. I just hoped that I wouldn't end up having to hit someone. The gang knew I was good for it if something happened, but these guys didn't.

"Hey there, baby," I heard a voice say next to my ear.

I felt myself choke on what was in my mouth, eyes widening as I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Why don't you come join us?" he offered, letting his hand slide down my denim covered arm.

I drew in a sharp breath as he gripped it, pressing my teeth together tightly, my other hand curling around the fork painfully so. He was gripping my bad arm and it didn't feel very good. Not one bit.

"How about you go away and leave me alone," I said as nicely as possible.

"Come on baby, we won't bite, promise," he grinned.

"You may not, but _I_ might," I told him, biting back a further remark.

"Oh, _scary_," he chuckled, gripping my arm forcefully.

My hand met his face in a harsh slap a second later, leaving him reeling as I stood up, moving away.

"Now, I'd appreciate it if you didn't try breaking my arm anymore than it already is," I said with a glare, turning toward the door when I heard the sound of bells, Darry and Joe coming into my line of sight.

His friends laughed in the background as he glared at me, rubbing his cheek.

"Why I oughta," he started, but never finished as Darry came forward, grabbing hold of him.

"Is there a problem here?" Darry asked, looking him in the eyes.

"No, no problem. Just a stuck up-," he didn't get the chance to finish though as Darry gripped him by the front of his shirt, pulling him close.

"I'd advise you not to finish that statement," he warned, eyeing him dangerously.

"Darry, let's just get out of here? I'm tired and I wanna go home," I told him, placing a hand on his arm.

He looked down at me before sighing, dropping the guy on his rear.

"Fine," he said in defeat, his arm coming to wrap around my waist protectively.

He pulled me a bit closer as we stood there, pressing his lips to my head for a moment as he eyed the guy on the floor. He then turned his gaze toward Joe.

"I see ya later Joe," Darry called, turning toward the door.

"Let me know when you get back," Joe chuckled.

I looked up at Darry when he said that, giving him a curious look.

"You'll find out later," he promised, walking me over toward the door, where he fixed my jacket and scarf for me.

"By Joe," I smiled, waving to him.

"See ya later darlin'," he smiled, waving back.

After that, we left, refusing to turn back as we walked into the cool afternoon air.

**Chapter 46! Chapter 46! I FINALLY figured out what to do with it. Anyway...! Next time you see them, they'll be in the countryside or getting ready to anyway. Oh, I'm SO happy to be writing this. Again, if you have ANY IDEAS on what they should do while out there PLEASE let me know? Even if it's a suggestion on HOW he should propose to her. I'd love to hear them. Also, PLEASE read the bottom part. Don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story! Thanks guys!**

**IMPORTANT:**

**READ THE ABOVE. SERIOUSLY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE AN ACCOUNT TO REVIEW AND GIVE INPUT. DON'T BE SCARE TO SAY SOMETHING. I DON'T BITE. TRUST ME. I SHALL ALSO PUT A SPECIAL THANK YOU ON THE NEXT ONE FOR ANYONE THAT REVIEWS. REMEMBER I NEED IDEAS, SO HELP ME PEOPLE. IT'S FOR YOUR BENEFIT.**


	47. Ch 47: Gets Her Every Time

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 47**

**Gets Her Every Time**

"Hey, Pony, you seen where that basket went? I had it sitting out yesterday and it's not there," Darry said, looking around for it.

He was trying to finish getting things together so that him and Abigail could leave for their trip. Unfortunately, it was turning out to be a hinderance as he continued looking for what should have been there.

"Um, I think Two-Bit was messing with it yesterday," Ponyboy told him, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh, great, just what I need," he groaned. "Why does that guy _always_ have to mess with stuff?" Darry asked.

"I don't know," Ponyboy shrugged, trying to help look for it.

About 15 minutes later, Two-Bit came walking in through the door with the picnic basket, the basket itself filled with beer.

"Two-Bit, what in the world?" Darry said, raising an eyebrow in question as he folded his arms over his chest.

"What? I like beer," he chuckled, a goofy grin on his face.

Darry gave him a tired look, shaking his head as he sat the loaf of bread onto the dining table that he'd been holding.

"That's not what I meant, Two-Bit," Darry pointed out, walking toward him. "Now, you mind giving my basket back so I can finish getting things together?" he asked, brow raised in question.

"Oh, this old thing?" Two-Bit laughed, gesturing toward the basket.

"Yes, that old thing," Darry repeated with a sigh.

"Eh, alright," Two-Bit shrugged, dumping his beer out onto the couch, before tossing the basket Darry's way.

Darry caught it at the last second, fingers gripping it tightly. He heard the sound of Abigail's muffled laugh a moment later, looking up to find her at the top of the stairs looking down at him, hand over her mouth.

"And what's so funny?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"She's probably thinkin of how funny you look right now," Two-Bit howled with laughter, slapping his leg.

Darry shook his head, sitting the basket down on the table, before walking back into the kitchen.

"Which reminds me," Two-Bit mused, looking up at Abigail with a grin on his face as she slowly made her way down the stairs, taking her time with each one. "You still look funny," he pointed out.

"Oh, really now?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest in question.

"Yep!"

"Two-Bit, knock it off and leave her hair out of it or what's left of it anyway," Darry called from the kitchen, not catching the look on Abigail's face.

"Darrel!" she cried out, cheeks heating up slightly.

She didn't need him pointing out that she didn't have much hair left on her head.

"What? I'm telling him the truth."

"Darry," she breathed, meeting him halfway until they stood in front of the dining table, hand reaching out and gripping the front of his shirt.

All three, Ponyboy, Two-Bit, and Johnny sat there watching as Darry and Abigail eyed one another, waiting for something to happen.

"Need I remind you, that _you_ are the one that helped _cut_ my hair?" she asked, daring him to press further.

Two-Bit watched as the big guys lip twitched, a grin forming on Two-Bit's face once he knew what was coming. Darry had a habit of biting back just like Abigail did. Personally, Two-Bit got a kick out of it every time when they had their meaningless fights, if you can even call them fights. In fact, the two of them never fought at all. Granted, that was a good thing, but it wasn't as interesting. He actually started to wonder if they'd ever have a fight or not. Really, all they did was mock fight, mainly kidding around.

"Need I remind _you_, that you were the one that wanted my help?" Darry reminded her, trying his best not to grin as he stood his ground, her hand still gripping the front of his shirt.

Unfortunately, he failed at it and ended up with her shoving him in the chest, a chuckled emitting from his lips.

"Remind me _why_ I put up with you?" she commented, walking passed him into the kitchen.

"Well, I'm sure I can think of a few," Darry started, turning around to follow her into the kitchen.

The whole time, Two-Bit sat there on the couch, watching things unfold. To him, it was like watching a well played out TV show, one that sent him into a fit of laughter. Not that Pony or Johnny would really disagree with it. To them, it was entertaining as well, especially for Steve and Soda. Both boys loved to teased Darry and Abigail about things, almost worse than what Two-Bit did. Then again, Two-Bit knew his limits for the most part, where as Steve still had issues recognizing when enough was actually enough and to stop where he was.

"Like?" she inquired, grabbing a couple of sodas from the fridge and bringing them back to the table.

"Well, for you, you love me," he pointed out, taking the soda and placing it in the empty basket.

"So sure?" she teased, trying not to smile as she said it.

Like Darry though, it was an utter fail.

"Really now, are you really going to start that again?" he chuckled, following after her once more.

"And what if I am?" she countered, daring him to put in his two cents.

"Then I guess I'll just have to remind you that I can always do this," he said, grabbing her up in his arms and tickling her, all the while being careful of her arm.

"Darry!" she cried, squirming in his arms.

Two-Bit laughed as he watched, a grin on his face.

"Gets her every time," he laughed.

"Darry, stop it!" Abigail squealed as he continued to attack her side with his fingers, keeping her close to his body as she squirmed. "Darry!" she cried, another squeal escaping her lips.

"Where's a camera when you need it?" Ponyboy mumbled, a smirk on his face.

"In my truck," Darry answered, hearing Ponyboy's question even through the cries, grunting a moment later when Abigail accidentally got him in the gut with her elbow.

"Dang that hurt," Darry breathed, pulling away, though never taking his hands off of her.

"And so does laughing too hard," she countered.

T

I let out a small yawn as I leaned back further into my seat, the air blowing in my face. My eyes closed for a moment as I rubbed my arms, opening my eyes a moment later to gaze out at the scenery moving by.

Darry had been right when he had told me that there was plenty of open space out in the country. Everywhere I looked, there would be wooden fences, barbed wire here and there, acres of grass swaying in the breeze making it look like an ocean of green. I'd never seen anything like it before in my life.

T

They'd been in the truck for the passed couple hours, driving all the way into the country without stopping, the music sounding from the radio. The whole ride thus far had been fairly quiet as Abigail leaned back into her seat, getting herself comfortable. Darry could have swore that she'd dozed off once or twice already, but he didn't really mind that much. Darry was just happy to be with her, simple as that. He was even more proud of himself though, feeling the small box that had been placed in his jacket pocket. It reminded him of the real reason why they were making this trip. This trip had been meant to give them something more. In a way, hopefully it would be a new and better start for them, bringing them even closer together than ever before.

"Abigail?"

"Hm?" she turned her head to look at him.

"What do you think so far?"

**Alright everyone! Chapter 47 is FINALLY up! I'm sorry that it took so long, but I had to get back into the mood. Listening to some inspirational music helped. Also, I realize that this one is a bit on the short side, but that was deliberate. The next chapter will be longer, I promise. A lot longer if I can do it. Anyway, please let me know what you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts, feelings, opinions, and ideas on this chapter/story. Remember, if ANYONE still has more ideas on things to Abigail and Darry to do, I'm more than willing to here them. Don't forget to REVIEW and MESSAGE me people. Thanks! Also...Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And God Bless!**


	48. Ch 48: RoadtripThe Adler's Ranch

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 48**

**Road Trip**

**The Adler's Ranch**

"Here we are," Darry finally announced, putting the truck into park, and killing the engine.

Now, it was my turn to speak, turning my head to look out the window as I rubbed my eyes. I was shocked at what was in front of me.

There, ahead of us was a ranch. Not just any ranch mind you, but a horse ranch, the fences stretching far and wide.

"Darry?" I started, brows furrowing as I turned toward him, a question hanging in the air.

"I figured that we'd have a bit of fun. Especially, since I'm pretty sure that you've never ridden a horse before. Am I right?" he asked, turning toward me.

I felt my face heat up a bit upon hearing this, feeling slightly embarrassed at the idea of not knowing how to ride.

"Well, I..."

"Don't worry, it'll be fine. I'll show you," he assured me, a smile on his face.

**T**

"Wow... Darry, this is amazing," I smiled, holding his hand as we walked down the ranch's dirt path.

Everything around me seemed so alive and natural. It was a breath of fresh air.

"There's so many horses," I breathed looking around in the pastor.

"Well, it is a horse ranch," he pointed out, a chuckle escaping his throat.

I stuck my tongue out at him as a result, also feeling the need to roll my eyes. I knew that this was a horse ranch. I wasn't that dense as not to notice something like that.

"I already knew that," I told him.

"Just making sure," he chuckled.

"Pain in the butt," I muttered, walking forward with him.

"You know, a friend of mine actually runs this place," he told me, glancing down at me as we walked.

"Really?" I asked, watching as he nodded his head in response.

"Yeah, him and his family moved out here a few years ago and started this place," he explained, looking down the path. "Used to come down here every now and then and pay them visit. It's been a while though."

I found myself nodding at this, closing my eyes for a brief moment as I tried to imagine it. I wouldn't exactly say that the thought of Darry on a horse was strange, that definitely wasn't it. I suppose it was the fact that he'd had so much time on his hands maybe. I'd never had that much time on my hands. Unlike Darry who'd had the time to enjoy most of his childhood, I had to learn to grow up quickly, becoming the adult at a young age. Darry hadn't been doing it that long. I mean he had, but not quite like I had.

"Sounds nice," I whispered, opening my eyes once more.

"It was."

As we got closer, we could see someone working outside, a tall lanky man with short blond hair. It took him a few moments, but he finally turned toward us, a shocked expression on his face.

"Darrel? Is that you?" he asked, eyes slightly wide in shock.

"Hey there Eric," Darry greeted, a smile on his face.

"Son of a Greaser, it is you!" Eric grinned, running forward and tackling Darry to the ground.

I merely stepped back at this, a small giggle escaping my lips as I stood there and watched the two of them wrestle around on the ground, each of them trying to put the other in a head lock. It was a rather funny sight to be honest, seeing Darry wrestling around with his friend, something that I'd never seen outside the gang. The sound of me laughing seemed to grab Eric's attention, a sly smile slowly forming on his face.

"And who might this be?" he asked, eyeing me for a moment as he took in my appearance from his spot on the ground.

"My name is Abigail, Abigail Winters," I replied, introducing myself to him.

"A pleasure," he grinned.

"Don't even think about it," Darry warned, giving him a look as he shoved him.

"Alright, alright," he sighed, shaking his head. "I'm guessing by his reaction, you must be his girlfriend then?" he assumed, raising a brow in question, laying there on the ground for a moment.

"That would be correct," I smiled, watching as Darry stood up, brushing himself off before taking my hand in his.

It was a nice feeling, having his hand in mine, the warmth of his hand seeping into mine.

"And since you're here with your girlfriend, I'm guessing that you didn't come here just to pay me a visit?" he inquired, folding his arms over his chest.

"And you would be correct," Darry answered, rubbing the back of his neck.

"So, a couple horses then?" he asked, standing up and looking between the two of us.

"No, just one," Darry told him, looking down at me. "I'm going to teach her how to ride," he smiled.

"I'm sure I could do that," Eric offered, a teasing tone evident in his voice.

"Thanks, but no thanks," Darry told him, giving my hand a small squeeze. "I've got this one."

**T**

Abigail smiled as Darry explained things to her, standing with her by one of the horses, leaving Eric watching the two of them.

"Eric, what are you doing," his mother called, startling him.

"Oh, sorry Ma," Eric chuckled, turning as his mother approached him.

"Who's that?" she asked, pointing toward Darry and Abigail. "I didn't know that anyone was here."

"That's Darrel. Don't you recognize him?" he asked.

"Wait, you mean little Darrel Curtis?" she asked, looking toward her son, before turning back to the young couple on the other side of the corral.

"Yeah, that's him," Eric grinned. "Although, he's not so little anymore."

"Who's he got with him though?" she asked curiously. "I don't think I've seen her before.

This made Eric grin even further, watching as Darry helped Abigail mount the horse, hesitation evident on her face.

"His girlfriend," he grinned, leaning back against the gate as he looked over his shoulder at the two.

"Girlfriend?" his mother inquired, a smile pulling onto her lips."I don't think he's ever brought a girl out here with him before," she mused.

"That's because he hasn't," he told her, pushing off of the gate and toward the stalls.

"Eric, what are you doing?" she asked, watching as her son grabbed something from the wall.

"Nothing," he grinned, walking back over to the gate and gazing out at his friend, catching the smile on his face and the look in his eyes.

He'd never seen Darry look at a girl the way that he looked at Abigail. It was a look that his parents gave each other. It was a look of love, something that he wasn't sure he'd ever see on his friend. Even though they didn't see each other often, Eric still knew about Darry's parents, and the car accident that they'd been in.

As he stood there watching though, he found a small smile forming on his face. This smile was for his friend, his friend Darry whom had found someone to love and love him in return. Even though he didn't know Abigail yet, he could still catch the same look in her eyes as Darry had. What he wondered though was why he'd brought her out here and why it was just the two of them. Normally, a trip out there was a family thing, not just a two person thing. That left him with a few extra thoughts rattling around in his head, a smirk spreading across his face as Darry mounted the horse, getting on behind Abigail.

"Hey, Ma, what do you think?" Eric asked, looking down at the small metal noise maker in his hand, moving it around as it shown his reflection.

"Hm?" she questioned, brows furrowing slightly as she looked at her son.

Eric grinned as he held up the whistle, holding it between his middle and index finger, almost like a cigarette.

"Should I?" he asked.

"Eric!" she scowled, catching onto his meaning.

He just grinned though, looking out at the two in the corral, laughter hitting his ears as Darry coaxed the horse forward. He'd always been a good rider, Eric knew that much from their time together over the years. Still, none of that would stop Eric as he slowly brought the whistle to his lips.

The moment Eric blew, the horse reared up, Darry grabbing tightly onto the reigns as Abigail let out a cry.

"Damn it!" Darry yelled, holding onto Abigail as they fell backwards onto the ground, his arms wrapped securely around her form.

Darry let out a groan a moment later, his back searing with pain for a moment, before his eyes glanced toward where Eric was standing. He found his eyes narrowing slightly as Eric grinned, whistle in hand as he turned around and walked back toward the house, hand waving over his shoulder.

"I'm gonna kill him," Darry groaned.

**T**

"Darry, are you sure you're alright?" I asked, sitting next to him outside the corral, my back against the wooden fence.

"Yeah," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Besides, I've had worse thanks to him."

"You're kidding me, right?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

I knew that the guys could get rough with one another at times, but this? I think causing someone to fly off of a horse was a bit much to be honest. Then again, I wasn't a guy, and I didn't know how these two acted with one another. For all I knew, they liked trying to take each others heads off. Although, I seriously doubted that, but you never know with a couple of rowdy guys.

"Great," I muttered, shaking my head slightly.

"What?"

"Um, n-nothing," I laughed nervously, my face heating up slightly.

I hadn't meant to speak out loud, but I some how managed, leaving myself rather embarrassed to say the least.

"You sure that _you're_ okay?" he asked, trying not to laugh at his own question.

I just shook my head. He knew very well that I was just fine. He on the other hand, that was yet to be proven since he winced whenever she prodded his back just the right way.

"Yeah. Are you?" I asked, even though I'd already asked him once before, poking him in the back a few inches below his right shoulder blade.

"Don't do that," he jumped, moving and grabbing hold of my hand, bringing it to rest against his cheek for a moment as he took in a breath.

I smiled, moving a bit closer until my shoulder was touching his, quietly resting my head on it.

"I hope that this isn't the only thing that you had planned?" I teased, smiling at him as he kissed the palm of my hand.

"Of course not," he smiled, taking his arm and wrapping it around my shoulders. "We've still got lunch," he chuckled, earning a small shove from me a moment later.

"You're terrible, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know," he chuckled. "But first, I'd like to introduce you to Eric's parents before I take you anywhere else," he told me, standing up from the makeshift bench, his hand extending toward me.

With a smile, I took it, allowing him to pull me up beside him. This was something that I'd grown used to over time, the smile that he bestowed upon me whenever he looked at me. This was the smile that I was so fond of.

**T**

"Mary!" Darry called, pulling Abigail with him as he walked toward the house.

Said woman was pulling weeds around the front of the house, her hands dirtied with soil. She also had a part of blue jeans on, protecting her knees from the ground as he brushed back a lock of golden blond hair.

"I was wondering when you were finally going to say hi young man," she smiled, standing from her spot in the grass.

"Sorry about that, I was a bit preoccupied," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's alright, I'm just glad to see you," she said, walking forward and pulling him into a hug.

It'd been a while since the two had actually seen each other, giving them both the incentive for the friendly exchange.

"And, who's this?" she asked, gesturing toward Abigail with a friendly smile on her face.

"Ah, Mary, this is Abigail," he introduced, gently pulling Abigail forward for a proper introduction. "My girlfriend," he grinned. "Abigail, this is Mary Adler, Eric's mother."

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Adler," Abigail smiled, holding her hand out for Mary to shake.

The older woman obliged immediately, shaking her hand firmly.

"So, you've finally found yourself a nice girl," she smiled, looking between the two.

"She much more than that Mary," Darry said, a sense of pride filling him as he pulled Abigail close, wrapping an arm around her so that she could lean against him.

"Yeah, well, I could say the same for you," Abigail pointed out, poking him lightly in the stomach.

Mary merely smiled at the two, pushing a bit of hair out of her face again.

"So, how long have you two been together?" she asked, watching as they looked at each other for a moment.

"A few months," they said simultaneously, causing Mary to laugh.

"Interesting," she breathed.

"A lot has happened in the last few months," Darry explained, giving Abigail's hand a small squeeze.

"To much possibly," Abigail added.

"Really?" Mary inquired, looking between the two as she wondered what it meant. "I hope that doesn't mean that you two-"

"No!" they both cried, faces full of embarrassment.

"I would never," Darry assured her, face still a bit red at the thought.

"Oh, good," Mary said, letting out a sigh of relief.

The last thing that she wanted to hear was that he was starting a family before he was even married, no matter how much he liked the girl that he was with.

"You should come inside, I'm sure that Marcus would love to see you Darrel," Mary said after a moment, trying to change the topic. "In fact, you should stay for lunch," she smiled, gesturing toward the house.

"Well, I..." Darry started, scratching the back of his head.

"Come on, Darry, I think it'd be nice," Abigail nudged, a smile on her face.

"Please, Darrel, it would mean the world to me if you would stay for lunch," Mary told him, a hopeful look upon her face.

"Alright," Darry sighed, finally caving in. "But just for lunch," he told her. "I have a few other things planned."

"Oh, of course," Mary said happily.

**Yay! Chapter 48 is up now! It also means that it's one step closer to the proposal. Please, let me know what you think of this chapter/story. I'd love to hear your feedback on it, so please REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story. Also, I have another movie story I've been doing. It's for the 1996 movie Michael with John Travolta. Check it out and let me know what you think? Thanks everyone!**

**Also, happy belated birthday NegligibleNaina!**


	49. Ch 49: Frankenstein

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 49**

**Frankenstein**

"It really is good to see you again, Darrel," Marcus smiled, handing the bowl of beans over to his wife.

"I know what you mean," Darry replied.

"Would you like some honey?" Mary offered after raking some onto her plate.

"Oh, yes, thank you," I smiled, reaching forward and taking the bowl from her.

After that, I took the large spoon from the bowl, scooping a pile of beans out and onto my plate. I always did like baked beans. Especially with corn bread.

"Darry?" I offered, a smile on my face.

"Thanks," he replied, carefully taking the bowl from my hand, our fingers brushing.

He poured out more than I did, before handing the bowl off to Eric, his next quest being the bowl of corn for which he held for me.

"Thank you," I said, raking some onto my plate, the juices slowly soaking into the slice of bread that was occupying the side. "This smells so good."

"Well, it should. I worked hard on that food," Mary pointed out, before placing a small bite in her mouth.

"So, Abigail, Darry ever tell you about our days in school?" Eric asked suddenly, a grin on his face as he looked between us.

"No, I don't think he did," I replied, looking over at Darry for a moment.

"It's not that great Eric," Darry sighed, before taking a bite of his own food.

I did the same, placing a spoon full of beans and corn into my mouth, flavor exploding on my tongue.

"Are you kidding me?" Eric exclaimed. "Oh, come on, Darry. Remember that time in science class, when Mr. Robinson was making us work with those weird chemicals?" he asked.

I watched as Darry nearly choked on his food, coughing after a moment.

"Don't even think about it," Darry warned, giving him a hard look.

Now I was interested.

"I want to hear this," I said, trying not let the fact I was really interested catch on.

"Well, you see," Eric started, grinning as he looked over at Darry, the man face in his hand. "I really don't remember what it was that we were doing, but it was this weird chemical reactive project," he told me, leaning forward on the table. "We were broken off into partners and of course I was Darry's," he grinned. "The teacher told us to mix about three of the chemicals, but us being who we are decided to mix things up a bit. As a result, it ended up exploding in our faces," he laughed. "Or at least in Darry's anyway."

"Seriously?" I asked, looking between the two as I shook my head.

I never pictured Darry for messing around like that.

"Yeah, but that was only because you mixed the two that he told use _not_ to mix," Darry pointed out in annoyance.

"But it was worth it though. Remember, you came out looking like Frankenstein for about a week," he snickered.

Now, it was my turn to choke on my food.

"Wait, that was _you_?" I said, eyes wide with shook. "You were the green kid walking around the halls?" I asked, trying to wrap my brain around it.

"Guilty as charged," Darry sighed, trying to hide the embarrassment that he now held at the thought of me seeing him like that.

Truth be told, I remembered it. Me and Darry were in the same grade back in high school. Even though we didn't have any classes together that I knew of. I still remember that day my Sophomore year, a big guy walking around the halls. His face looked like it had been painted green, almost as though he thought it were Halloween. Kids were making fun of him for weeks. I just never realized that it had been him. Not that it would have made a difference at the time. I had my own problems at the time and wasn't about to take on someone else's. Granted, I had shut a few people up because it was annoying me, but still.

"Oh and remember that one time, Jimmy Johnson took your underwear and hung it up on the flag pole?" Eric howled with laughter, my eyes going wide.

"Eric, can I talk to you outside for a moment?" Darry asked, trying to calm himself.

"Sure."

**T**

Once outside, Darry grabbed his friend in a headlock, tackling him down to the ground.

"What in sam hill is wrong with you?" Darry asked, his voice raising a bit.

Eric merely laughed, wrestling around with Darry on ground.

"What?" he grunted, flipping them over. "I was just having a bit of fun," he laughed.

"Yeah, at my expense," Darry scoffed.

"But it's funny as hell," he laughed, getting tossed onto his back a moment later.

"I don't care. She doesn't need to know Johnson prided himself in tormenting me!"

"Yeah she does," Eric laughed, moving out of the way as Darry made to grab him again. "Besides, that was your football initiation anyway," he snickered.

"The hell it was!" Darry cried, lunging at him.

**T**

"What are they doing out there?" I asked, turning toward Eric's parents.

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," Marcus assured me. "Boys will be boys."

"Yes, something that I know all too well," I sighed.

"That reminds me, how _did_ you two meet anyway?" Mary asked curiously, leaning back in her chair.

"Well, actually, it was because of his brother," I told her, laughing lightly as I thought about it.

"Really?" Marcus asked.

"Yes. You see, I work as a waitress at Joe's Diner," I explained, reaching up to brush a bit of hair away out of habit, only to remember that it wasn't there. "There was a problem there one night with a few Social's as you can imagine," I said nervously.

"I see. Such a shame that people act that way," Mary commented.

"Well, luckily, Ponyboy and Johnny helped me out. After that, I sort of ended up at Darry's house fixing up Ponyboy from a few scrapes that he'd gotten. That's how I met Darry," I smiled, looking back on that night.

I could still envision the sight of him walking in, his hair slightly limp from working all day in the afternoon heat. It had been fairly warm that day. I also remembered taking notice to his arms and handshake, a faint blush dusting my cheeks as I thought about it. I'm just glad that Mary didn't tease me about it.

"All three of them were always good kids," Mary told me, a thoughtful smile on her face. "I actually have a few pictures of Darry when he was younger if you'd like to see them?" Mary offered.

My eyes lit up upon hearing this. I'd never really seen many pictures of him, leaving me to wonder what he looked like when he was a child. Granted, I knew that he wouldn't look much different than he did now, but still.

"I'd love to."

**T**

By the time that Darry and Eric were done messing around, Abigail and Eric's parents were in the living room, Marcus sitting in his armchair as he watched his wife quietly. Marcus had always been a fairly soft spoken man for the most part, but he still knew how to hold his own in a fight if need be. His son on the other hand, he loved causing trouble for people every now and then.

"Hey, Ma, what are you guys doing?" Eric asked, walking into the living room with Darry, both looking a bit dirty as they stood there.

"I could ask you two the same thing," she countered, looking at the two standing there. "Marcus, be a dear a get Darrel a clean shirt to wear?" she asked, sifting through the box of photos on her lap.

"Of course honey," he complied, getting up from his seat and walking toward Darry. "Come on, Darrel, let's get you cleaned up," Marcus said, dragging him upstairs with him.

That left only three: Mary, Eric, and Abigail. Eric being who he was got curious, coming over to sit on the couch on the other side of his mom. He couldn't help, but to raise an eyebrow in question at the pictures she was going through. From what he could tell, they were of him and Darry when they were younger. He spotted one when they were about eight. Back then, Darry's hair had been a longer, his mother occasionally tying it back with a thin black ribbon. It had been one of the reasons why a few of the kids and school had picked on him, but he never really cared much. In fact, Eric's cousin, Cindy, had braided Darry's hair from time to time for the fun of it. Most of the time it was random braids here and there, tiny ones sticking out all over the place. Looking back, Eric was actually surprised that Darry had allowed it. Darry had drawn the line though the first time that he woke up with makeup on.

"Oh yeah, Mom, show her the one of Darry after Cindy got done with him that one time," Eric laughed, nudging his mother.

"That's right," she laughed, thinking back on it. "He wasn't very happy, was he?"

"No," he snickered, trying not to laugh too much.

"Huh? I don't get it," Abigail said, tilting her head to the side slightly.

"I'm sorry sweetie, here, this should explain it," Mary told her, handing her a picture.

Both Eric and Mary watched as Abigail looked it over, holding in their laughter. It didn't take long before she joined them, a hand over her mouth as she tried to stifle her laughter. It didn't do her much good though because there in the picture stood Darry, a sour look on his face. The poor kid was covered in makeup, lipstick smeared messily upon his lips, the red marring his skin. There were also bright circles of blush dusted on his cheeks and a little bit of eye makeup as well. He definitely didn't look happy.

"What's everyone laughing at?" Darry asked curiously, coming down the stairs with Marcus in tow.

At this, everyone burst out laughing, unable to hold it in any longer. Not that anyone could blame them.

"Abigail, what is that?" Darry asked slowly, drawing closer as he did another button up on the red plaid shirt Marcus had given him, making him look like some sort of lumber jack of something.

She didn't answer though, merely holding the picture up for him, his eyes going wide upon seeing it. His face drained as well as he stared at it.

"You got to be kidding me," he breathed, moving to snatch it out of her hand as his face started to heat up.

The last thing that Darry wanted was for her to see _that _picture. It was not something that he wanted his girlfriend and hopefully soon to be fiancé to see.

"Where did you find this?" he asked slowly, feeling a lump in his throat as he stood there.

She let a giggle escaped as she sat on the couch, hand now gripping her side as she tried to hold it in. Just having him walk in like that after seeing such a picture was too much for her.

"I'm afraid that one is my doing honey," Mary admitted sheepishly.

"Why?" he asked, raising a brow in question as he tried to keep his composure.

"I told her to pull it out and show her," Eric chuckled.

"Eric?" Darry twitched.

"Yeah, man?"

"You might want to run," Darry told him, more than ready to grab him.

"D-Darry, don't," Abigail said, standing up and grabbing his hand, her laughter slowly dying. "I'm sorry, I really am, but to be honest with you Darry," she started, placing a hand on his cheek. "I think it's cute," she admitted, watching his face turn red.

"This isn't cute!" he sputtered. "This is embarrassing!" he said, waving the picture around.

"Darrel, calm down," Marcus said, grabbing the picture from his hand and going back to sit in his chair. "Besides, I thought it was funny," he smiled, looking it over in his hand.

"Come on!" Darry cried, running a hand through his hair.

This made Abigail laugh, her hand coming to press upon his mouth, quieting him.

"Calm down," she said softly, watching as he exhaled, a small smile gracing her lips. "Mary, Marcus, it was nice to meet you, but I think we should be going now," she told them, allowing her hand to fall to her side.

"Yeah," Darry nodded, grabbing hold of her hand in his. "We should get going. After all," he looked down at her, "I have a few things to take care of."

"Well, alright then," Mary breathed, standing from her spot on the couch. "It was nice seeing you again Darrel," she smiled, leaning up and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Take care of him, won't you dear?" she asked, turning toward Abigail.

"Of course," she promised, receiving a hug from the older woman.

"I'll see you later Darrel," Marcus waved, leaning back in his chair a bit more.

"Yeah, you too," Darry nodded, turning toward the door.

"Bye Darleen," Eric called, watching as Darry tensed, a glare set on his face.

"Darry, lets go," Abigail instructed, pulling him out of the house and into the sunlight.

**T**

"Well, that was fun," Eric grinned.

**Alright everyone, that was chapter 49. Next one with be number 50! I can't believe that I'll finally be at 50! Anyway, what did everyone think about the whole Frankenstein thing? And Darry and the makeup mishap? I'd love to know your thoughts on it especially, since it was so FUN to write. Lol. Please, REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story? I REALLY need FEEDBACK! **

**Remember, EVERY REVIEW and MESSAGE helps me help YOU! So, don't be scared to leave one. I won't bite, trust me. The more the REVIEW the faster the next one will be posted. Thanks everyone!**


	50. Ch 50: One Little Word

**Author's Note: Make sure to read the bold print at the bottom! Also, you might want to listen to A Thousand Years by Christina Perri while reading most of this.**

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 50**

**One Little Word**

A few hours later found us in a meadow, the truck parked and engine shut off. Darry had told me that this was where we would be spending the night, falling asleep underneath the stars and talking to one another. Not that I minded any, it was something I was happy to comply with. This was also the first time that I felt that I was completely alone with him, allowing for any sort of talk that might come up. I didn't have to hold myself back because of the others, it was just me and him.

"Darry, what are you doing?" I asked, noticing that he was messing with something inside of the truck, having already laid blankets out in the back of the trucks bed.

"Oh, uh, nothing," he assured me, grabbing his jacket and tying it around his waist.

I smiled at this, watching as he closed the door, making his way over to me. He had a smile on his face as he reached a hand out, taking hold of my own.

"And what's got you in such a good mood?" I smiled, looking up at him.

"Nothing in particular," he told me, pulling me closer. "I'm just happy having you by my side."

"Darry," I whispered, burying my head in the front of his shirt, his arms coming to wrap around me. "I'm not going anywhere you know," I told him, afraid that perhaps he was trying to hold on to this moment in particular, afraid that something might happen to me.

"I know that," he breathed, though by the sound of it, he didn't sound so sure about it.

"Darry," I started, slight warning in my voice.

"I'm fine, I promise," he chuckled, placing a kiss upon my forehead, the skin flaring slightly at the contact. "Look."

He pointed toward the distant sky, the sun slowly setting on the horizon. I smiled at the sight before me, leaning into Darry's enticing hold. The colors were beautiful, the wind blowing slightly as it swept against up, pushing the grass into a graceful dance. Glimmers of gold and orange shown brightly in the sky, becoming more intense as the sun continued to receding passed the horizon, slowly darkening the sky. The sight nearly took my breath away.

"It's so beautiful..." I whispered, a smile tugging at my lips.

"It is," Darry nodded, leaning down beside my ear, his hot breath making my skin tingle. "But not as beautiful as you," he whispered, making me blush lightly.

"Darry," I laughed, looking up at him, only to have him face to face with me.

For some reason unknown to me, we stood there, staring. Some strange connection.

"Let's dance," he finally said, taking my hand in his.

I found it strange, even as music played from the radio, the familiar tune of Andy Williams _Moon River_ playing in my ears. It was something that fit so perfectly as we started to sway, the breeze bristling by, playing lightly with the hairs on our heads. Darry's swept slightly to the side as he smiled down at me, a particular fondness in his eyes, so intense as he stared.

_Moon river, wider than a mile_

_I'm crossin' you in style someday_

I smiled to myself as I moved around with him, letting him guide me little by little from side to side slowly finding myself going in circles.

_Oh, dream maker, you hear breaker_

_Wherever you're goin',_

_I'm goin' your way_

I could feel the warmth from his hand on my back, the gentle yet firm touch keeping me on my toes as we moved around, the grass tickling my bare feet. It reminded me of a dream, a dream where I was safe and warm.

_Two drifters, off to see the world_

_There's such a lot of world to see_

Darry took a few steps back as I took a few forward, gliding with practiced ease on his part.

_We're after that same raindows end_

_Waitin' round the bend_

He smiled, pulling me closer for a moment, standing there.

_My huckleberry friend,_

_moon river and me_

We stood there for a moment, listening to the chorus, a small breath escaping my lips.

_Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker_

_Wherever you're goin',_

_I'm goin' your way_

He spun me away gently, before spinning me back to him, my back pressing against his chest as we stood there swaying back and forth.

_Two drifters, off to see the world_

_There's such a lot of world to see_

I let my eyes slide shut, taking in a soothing breath as I listened to the music, humming along to the soft entrancing melody.

_We're after that same rainbows end_

_Waitin' round the bend_

_My huckleberry friend,_

_moon river and me_

We stood there together, our eyes closed as the sun set upon us, sinking ever lower in the sky. I found myself thinking about everything as another song came on, Louis Armstrong's _What A Wonderful World._ The song made me smile as I nodded my head in agreement of the moment. It was a perfect moment, the shadows of the trees shading the ground, the remaining light seeping through the leaves. I could hear a few birds chirped, male and female cuddling together, a soft love song emitting from their throats.

The wind flew up again, causing me shiver, Darry's arms wrapping tighter around my body. His warmth enveloped me, covering me like a blanket, his chin resting upon my head.

"Abigail?" he spoke softly, arms never wavering as we stared at the setting sun.

"Hm?"

"I love being here with you," he whispered, pressing his lips to the top of my head.

"I love being here with you too, Darry," I smiled, looking up at him.

I got this strange feeling in the back of my mind though when I looked into his eyes. I saw something within them, something that told me he was holding back, like he had more to say. This proved true as he turned me around to look at me properly, gripping me lightly by the shoulders.

"Darry?" I questioned, my brows coming together faintly.

"Abigail," he breathed, staring into my eyes, swallowing a lump in his throat. "I don't think I can wait any longer," he told me, his eyes watching as confusion spread across my face.

"Darry, what are you talking about?" I asked.

"We've been through so much these last few months," he started, slowly raking a hand through the bristles that was the hair on my head, his tender touch putting me at ease. "I've come so close to losing you," he whispered, leaning down and pressing his forehead to mine. "I love you so much."

"As I love you," I replied, raising my hand and pressing my palm gently to his cheek.

A faint smile spread over his strong face as I slowly caressed his cheek. I then let my fingers comb through his hair, his muscles obviously relaxing a bit as I did this. My touch could be just as calming as his.

"I'll always love you," I told him, making a promise. "No matter what," I whispered.

It seemed like that was all he needed to hear as he pulled away, holding me at arms length for a moment. Our eyes met, seeming to check things over. What I saw next stopped me in my tracks, eyes widening, mouth going slack as he got down on one knee. His hand left mine for a second as he pulled something from his jacket pocket, said object being that of a small velvet box.

"D-Darry?" I whispered, hand shaking slightly.

"Abigail Lee Winters," he breathed, using my whole name as he looked up at me, a hopeful look in his eyes. "Will you marry me?" he asked, coming to bite his lower lip.

"Darry..."

I didn't know what to say as I stood there, my voice refusing to work as my eyes watered. It was like time stood still, the air around me causing a chill. I tried to open my mouth, tried to say something as he sat patiently, staring at me with hopeful eyes. I could also see a faint fear of rejection as he sat there, my mouth twitching.

"Darry," I managed, falling to my knees in front of him.

I shook as I sat there, staring him in the eyes as tears slowly fell. I wasn't expecting this, I really wasn't, but here it was. He was sitting here, holding a ring before me, asking for just one simple word. Just one word, one little, tiny, itty bitty word. That was all he was asking for.

"Abigail?"

He tried to put on a happy face as he sat there, heart pounding in his chest, and worry in his eyes. He was worried that I would say no, that I would reject him. That was when I leaned forward, carefully wrapping my arms around his neck. My hand found it's way into the back of his hair, my fingers curling around his soft brown locks. My lips came to rest beside his ear as I managed to breath out that simple three lettered word, hot breath meeting bare skin.

"Yes," I cried, letting out a small gasp as he threw his arms around me, holding me tightly.

"Thank you," he murmured, burying his face in the crock of my neck. "Thank you so much," he whispered, mouth twitching against the skin of my neck.

It felt so strange sitting there like that, holding onto each other after speaking one simple word, a powerful one at that. It was so simple, yet so powerful, so big. It was probably the biggest decision I'd ever made.

"Here," he said, slowly pulling me back and taking hold of my left hand.

He then pulled the ring from the box, slowly sliding it onto my ring finger, the coolness of the metal nearly making me shiver. I smiled though as I looked down at it, teary eyed to say the least. It was so beautiful, yet so simple. All it was, was a simple gold band, a small diamond sticking out in the middle. I could only imagine how long it had taken for him to save that money up, also making me wonder where he had gotten it from. I had a feeling that he'd gotten help though. I felt a bit bad though because he'd probably had it saved up for a while for something else.

"How did you manage to afford this?" I asked, looking up at him.

He gave me a nervous looking, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, I saved up for a while," he told me. "That and Dally loaned me a bit of money."

I had the urge to roll my eyes at this for some reason.

"So, Dally knows about this then?" I asked.

"Actually, no," he admitted. "The only ones that actually knew about this were Soda and Joe."

"Wait, Joe?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I know that he was always joking about it, but I knew he was kind of serious about asking him first," he told me. "So, I asked him for permission."

I laughed when he said that, a smile pulling onto my face.

"You asked Joe's permission to marry me?" I asked.

"Yeah. I know it's silly, but-"

I cut him off by pressing a finger to his lips.

"It's not silly at all. In fact, it's kind of nice. Joe's the closest thing that I have to a real father," I told him, letting my hand fall onto his lap. "I love you," I whispered, leaning forward and pressing my lips to his.

He returned it without hesitation, placing a hand on the small of my back, pulling me closer until I fell on him knocking him backwards. Laughter escaped us as we laid there, grinning like idiots as the sun slowly blinked out of existence, the dark nights sky staring back at us from up above. It was more beautiful in this moment than any other. I say this because in this moment, I had a ring on my finger, the man I love laying beneath me.

"Darry, are you sure about this?" I asked suddenly, finding myself curious.

"I've never been more sure about anything in my life," he told me, carefully turning me over to face him, his nose close to mine.

His smile told me that he was speaking the truth, eyes glistening in with affection as he gazed down at me.

"The question is, are you?" he asked, slightly hesitant.

"Darry," I whispered, placing a hand on his cheek. "Would I have said yes if I weren't?" I asked, allowing my hand to come back down and rest on his chest.

It was painful to move that arm at times, reminding me of what would come after out trip was over, surgical reconstruction coming to mind. This made me frown slightly, catching his attention.

"Abigail, what's wrong?" he asked, placing an arm around me.

I bit my lip before speaking, not sure if I should or not.

"I was just thinking," I started. "About what's going to happen when we get back," I explained, glancing down at my arm for emphasis.

"Oh," he voiced, realizing what I was talking about. "I'm sure that everything will turn out just fine," he told me, trying to get my mind off of it. "Besides, I'll be there with you every step of the way," he promised.

"I wish we could be like this forever," I wished, curling into him, his arms holding me close as we lay there.

Above us, a shooting star shot through the sky, a brief cosmic trail on its tail.

**I really hope that this chapter met everyones standards and expectations? I've got a few questions that I would like everyone to answer.**

**1) What was your take on this chapter?**

**2) What would you like to see happen in the next chapter?**

**3) What do you think everyone's reaction will be when the gang finds out about the proposal?**

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**So, REVIEW and MESSAGE me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and feelings on this chapter/story.**

**Thanks everyone!**


	51. Ch 51: I'm Gonna Kill You!

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 51**

**I'm Gonna Kill You!**

I let out a yawn as I laid there, eyes still closed as I curled up against the warmth beside me just a bit more, a faint chill running through me as cold air met the metal upon my finger. That's when I remembered the events from the previous night, a smile pulling onto my lips.

"Mmm…Darry," I murmured, snuggling against him as his arms curled tighter around me, the sound of his heart beating nearly lulling me back to sleep.

"Cold?" he asked, a smile pulling at his lips as he peeled his eyes open to glance at me.

"Nope, not with you by my side," I smiled, rubbing my cheek against the plaid material that covered his chest.

I could feel him bite back a laugh at this as he laid there for a moment more, his fingers trailing lightly over the skin of my bad arm, gently soothing the dull throb that resided there.

"That feels nice," I whispered, letting out a small breath of air into the morning as he continued his ministrations, slowly sliding his thumb against my skin.

"I love you," he said softly, his hand sliding up to touch the side of my head, my lips twitching a bit.

"I love you too," I replied, leaning forward slightly to place a kiss upon his lips, his hand moving to the back of my head in order to keep me there for a moment.

"You know," he started, pulling back for a moment. "We've still got a few hours before we have to head back if you'd like?" he offered, propping himself up on his elbow as he locked eyes with me.

"I'd like that," I nodded, leaning forward and kissing him again, his hand snaking behind me to press lightly against my back.

He then moved me so that I was laying down on my back, hovering over me with an affectionate look in his eyes.

I swear, I'd never grow tired of seeing that look. That's what I thought as he allowed his hand to stroke my cheek, our lips meeting in another sweet kiss as I allowed my fingers to burrow their way through his smooth dark locks.

"You know, I'm gonna have to change out of these clothes soon," I told him, the dampness of them making the fabric stick to my skin.

"Yeah, I know," he nodded, pressing another kiss to my lips, his hair strung limp and misshapen in my hand.

I let my other hand slide down the back of his collar, my fingers brushing the warm skin between his shoulder blades.

"That tickles a bit," he murmured lightly, making me grin.

"Really now?" I asked, humoring him a bit.

"Mmhm," he nodded, digging his fingers into the grass beside me.

"Seriously though, I need to change," I finally said after a moment, a faint groan escaping his lips as a result since he didn't feel like moving at the moment.

"Alright," he sighed, carefully pulling me up with him as he stood, leading me over to the truck.

I then watched as he dug through the bag in the seat, pulling some clothes out. Upon leaving, we figured it'd just be easier to put our stuff in one bag, that way it would take up less space.

"Here you go," he said, pulling an old button up shirt of his from that bag that he'd been letting me use.

It was so much easier wearing something like this because it was easier to put on compared to a regular shirt that you had to slip over your head. They also made it easier to dress myself. Granted, I still needed Darry's help because the muscles in my arm weren't worth crap at the moment.

"Close your eyes," I told him, turning around and pulling at the buttons.

After a minute, I managed to work them all loose, placing the damp shirt over the edge of the truck. I then pulled the new one on, trying to fiddle with the buttons, but managed to fail miserably.

"Alright," I sighed, turning toward him. "I need your help," I told him, moving toward him and taking his hand in mine.

I made sure that I kept the shirt closed though, allowing him to open his eyes. Doing this made things a lot easier on him.

"I beat you can't wait til you can do this on your own again," he commented, offering me a friendly smile.

I merely shrugged at his comment, looking down to watch as he buttoned the shirt for me.

"I don't exactly mind," I said honestly, watching as he did the last few buttons, before taking hold of my hands.

"I said I'd always be here to help you and I meant it," he said, a gentle smile on his face.

"And I you," I told him, pulling my hands free to tug the buttons loose from their clasped position on his shirt, eventually revealing his toned chest.

He merely laughed, pulling me to him as he stood there, his chest pressing against mine for a moment.

"You never cease to amazing me," he said, pulling back to take his shirt off the rest of the way, before placing it beside the one I'd laid on the rail of the truck.

He then turned and pulled a shirt of his own from the bag, shrugging it on, before moving to button it. I stopped him though, taking hold of it myself as I attempted to do a button. We both knew that it was useless though, but I still tried nonetheless.

"You never stop trying, do you?" he asked softly, placing his fingers beneath my chin.

"Nope," I said, shaking my head like a child, earning a chuckle in return.

"You really are something else," he told me, leaning down and capturing my lips with his.

"You love doing that, don't you?" I breathed.

"Don't you know it," he chuckled lightly, before running his hand over my head affectionately.

"If I didn't know better, I might mistake you for Dallas some times," I joked, reaching passed him and grabbing a pair of jeans.

I then walked over to the other side of the truck, stripping the old ones off, before tugging the new ones on.

"Why does everything have to have buttons!" I cried.

T

"So, how are we going to do this?" I asked, holding Darry's right hand in my left one as he drove, headed back home.

We had decided that we would head back a bit early since the pain in my arm was starting to flare up again.

"What do you mean?" he asked, glancing over at me for a moment, before turning his eyes back to the road in front of him.

"How are we going to break it to the gang?" I asked, restating things for him.

"Well," he started, inhaling for a moment, before letting it back out. "I guess we'll just have to be up front with them and see what happens," he told me, not completely sure his own self.

"Let's just hope that Dal's not there," I sighed, feeling that I needed my own time with the guy to talk things through.

I mean, it's not like there was a problem between us. It's just that with Dallas, the two of us needed our own time together to sort things out and iron out the kinks. It'd be the only way I could get a real answer out of him on things at times.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. It's bad enough that Two-Bit has to pick at us. The last thing I need is to have Dallas in on it too," he told me, his hand gliding over the stirring wheel as he turned, the gravity of the car pulling me to the right.

"I don't think Dally would be _that_ bad," I tried, giving his hand a small squeeze as I sat there, my head leaned back as I stared out the window.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to find out for ourselves then, won't we?" he asked.

T

Shouts echoed around the Curtis house as Two-Bit and Ponyboy messed around, wrestling with each other upon the carpet in the living room.

"Come on, guys, stop it already!" Eden yelled, moving out of the way as the two boys rolled into the coffee table. "Soda, save me!"

"Not until he gives up!" Two-Bit exclaimed, holding Ponyboy in a headlock.

"Don't you two ever stop?" Soda asked, sitting at the dining table with Steve as they tried to play a game of poker.

Granted, they were putting pretzels on the table instead of cash, but that was beside the point. The main thing was that it gave them something to do while trying to stay out of trouble. It was also where Johnny was as well, making sure to keep his distance from the wrestling maniacs that currently inhabited the living room floor.

"Guys, come on," Johnny tried, rolling away from the table a couple inches as they hurtled into it, knocking a cup of milk onto Steve's lap.

"That's it!" Steve yelled, tossing his cards down and jumping Pony and Two-Bit, all three of them fighting on the floor now.

"It never ends," Soda sighed, placing his cards on the table with one hand, while the other to residence beneath his chin in support.

"You're dead Matthews!" Steve yelled, rolling into the side of the couch, the sound of an engine shutting down missing his ears completely as he made to jump on Two-Bit's back.

"Would you two stop it!" Eden yelled, climbing up onto Darry's armchair to get away from the two.

"Not a chance!" Steve hissed, locking his arm around Two-Bit's throat in a chokehold, sending the boy to the ground with a thud.

"D-damnit! G-get off!" Two-Bit choked out, jabbing Steve in the stomach with his elbow.

It did little good though as he turned to launch his back into the coffee table, knocking the wind out of Steve with a groan.

"Steve, buddy, maybe you should quit?" Soda suggested, watching the two lazily from his spot at the table.

"Not a chance!" Steve called back, tossing a beer can his way.

"Hey!" Soda exclaimed, falling backwards out of his seat in an attempt to dodge it, the sound of the chair clattering to the floor echoing through the house.

"What's going on in here?"

T

Everything in the house seemed to stop as Darry spoke up, catching everyone's attention. To be honest, I was actually surprised that it had made a dent in the commotion that seemed to currently be plaguing the household.

"Darry, you're back!" Soda grinned, pulling himself up off of the floor, before running forward and hugging his older brother. "So, how'd it go man?" he asked.

"Um, Soda, why don't we step outside?" Darry suggested, leading his kid brother to the door.

This left me standing there like a fish out of water, everyone staring at me with slightly wide eyes. That soon went away though as Johnny made his way toward me, a smile on his tanned face.

"Hey, Abs," he smiled, eyes lighting up as he was happy to see me.

"Hey, Johnny, how ya been?" I asked, carefully stepping over Steve and Two-Bit who laid on the floor now trying to choke each other again. "Dare I ask what's going on?"

"Eh, not really," Ponyboy piped up, pushing himself up from the floor.

"Where's Sparky?" I asked suddenly, looking around trying to find the absent Shepard.

Right after I opened my mouth though, Soda whistled, the sound of paws running around upstairs meeting my ears.

"Uh-oh," I breathed, bracing myself as Sparky came running down the stairs and jumped on me, sending me to the floor in seconds.

"Damnit, Soda," I hissed, gritting my teeth as Sparky kept me planted on the floor, his paws pressing into my stomach.

"Soda!" I heard Darry scowl, his feet quickly making their way back inside and over to Sparky, quickly pulling him up and off of me.

"Damn that hurt," I groaned, unscrewing my eyes in order to look up at Darry. "Next time you do that, your butt's mine," I said, turning my eyes to look at a not so innocent Soda.

"Hehe, sorry Abby," he chuckled.

"Sorry my rear end," I muttering, pulling myself up with Darry's help.

"You need to be more careful next time Soda. Remember, she's got surgery tomorrow," Darry reminded, making his face fall.

"Sorry Abby," Soda sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Don't worry about it kid," I told him, carefully going and sitting down in Darry's chair which had previously been occupied by Eden.

Unfortunately, this seemed to do little in deterring Steve and Two-Bit's little squabble.

"What is wrong with you two?" I asked, looking their way as they continued to roll around on the floor.

They didn't even bother answering, not until Darry had a foot pressed into one of their backs.

"Hey, get off Superdope!" Steve groaned, trying to shove him off.

"Dog pile!" Two-Bit suddenly cried out, before bombarding Darry, Steve and Soda soon joining it.

"Dang it you guys!" Darry yelled, falling down to the ground with the three on top of him. "Get off!"

"Revenge!" Two-Bit cried out dramatically, before messing up Darry's hair.

"Guys, get off," I sighed, getting up from my seat and moving forward to grab the back of Two-Bit shirt with my good hand.

Unfortunately, that proved to be a mistake as Two-Bit grabbed me in a headlock a moment later.

"Get off!" I screamed, clawing at the bare skin of his arm.

He merely snickered though, keeping his hold on me, until he had me on the ground like Darry.

"And to think, we were worried about Dally," I groaned, reaching behind me and elbowing Two-Bit sharply in the gut before swatting him, my ring nearly scratching him.

"Whoa, whoa, hold up! What's this?" he asked, eyes catching hold of my hand.

"Hey, take it easy," I told him, trying to pull away, but he kept a good hold on my arm while the other went around my waist to keep me still.

"Hey, guys, get a load of this!" Two-Bit howled, catching everyone's attention.

I swear, after this, I was _so_ going to smack this kid in the back of the head.

"She's got a rock on her finger," he laughed, before hugging me tightly, his cheek rubbing against mine.

"Would you stop it!" I cried, trying to push him off.

"So tell me, does this mean you guys did the dirty then?" he asked, making my face go red.

"Two-Bit!" both Darry and I yelled in unison, both itching to get at him for such a vulgar question.

"Come on, you can tell ole Two-Bit. I mean, was he good?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows at his own joke.

"I should smack you right now," I said in irritation, glaring at him.

"Seriously though, you guys really do it?" Steve asked.

"Randle!" I nearly screamed, ready to go after the kid as the others laughed.

"Hey, must have been good if you got a ring out of it," he joked, making my eyes go wide.

"I'm gonna kill you!" I yelled, running after him as he sprinted out of the house. "Get back here!" I yelled, nearly tripping over my feet.

**Finally, the long awaited chapter 51! I really hope that everyone liked it. I also apologize for taking so long in updating. College has been keeping me busy, but luckily, got got some inspiration today. In fact, if you listen to the song These Old Wings by Anna Nalick, then you'll know where I got the feeling from. It's time to fly! Anyway, please let me know what you think? Also, ideas are always welcomed. And remember, you do NOT have to have an ACCOUNT to REVIEW. So REVIEW and MESSAGE me people. I want to see some reviews before I post the next one and I've already got part of the next one written, so REVIEW PEOPLE! Thanks everyone!**

**Also, since I have like 96 with this story on their favorites list, I expect REVIEWS! It's only fair in my opinion.**


	52. Ch 52: No Going Back

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 52**

**No Going Back**

"Abigail?" I heard the sound of my name being called, a groan emitting from my throat.

I didn't want to get up yet.

"Abigail, darlin', it's time to get up," I heard him say.

"Mmm… I don't wanna," I groaned, burying my head beneath my pillow.

It was soon taken away though, causing me to open my eyes in distain.

"Darry, can't I just sleep?" I begged, curling up with the sheet.

"If I could, I'd let you, but you need to get dressed so that I can take you down to the hospital," he told me, leaning down so that his face was in front of mine, our eyes connecting for a moment.

"I really don't want to," I told him, rubbing my eyes sleepily.

"I know, but you have to get up," he said softly, leaning down and pressing his lips to my forehead.

I then groaned once more, before slowly sitting up, wincing slightly at the moment. This would probably be my last morning with tolerable pain for a while, so I really wasn't looking forward to getting up. Unfortunately, I knew that I had to though, leaning forward and stretching my back.

"Here," he said, tossing me one of Soda's button ups that had been lent to me a few days prior.

I smiled at this, before carefully pulling my night shirt over my head, making sure that Darry had his back turned. Granted, the idea of him seeing me like this didn't exactly bother me that much anymore, but that was beside the point. After all, we were engaged now, and other people had seen more of each other than what we had. Still though, we had our dignity.

"Okay, I need help," I said, tilting my head to the side for a moment.

He merely smiled at me, coming forward and sitting down beside me on the bed, his hands come up to button the shirt.

"You know, Two-Bit might call this sad and pathetic," he teased lightly, earning a shove in return.

"Darrel, don't make me start calling you Darleen," I threatened, a smug look appearing on my face as he paled.

"You wouldn't dare," he said, eyeing me carefully.

"I would and you know it," I laughed, daring him to press forward.

"Then I'll call you Leelee," he challenged.

"It's better than Darleen," I countered.

"You're evil," he said lowly, leaning forward to the point that I nearly fell backwards onto the bed, his face mere inches from my own.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" I asked, biting back a smile as he brought his face closer, our noses touching now.

"I could always tickle you," he breathed, staring me in the eyes, his beautiful blues clouded with mischief.

"Really now?" I questioned, letting my nose brush the corner of his own.

We were really getting into this now, ever since he popped the question the other day, it was as if we couldn't get enough of each other. Whether it was teasing or kissing, it was like magnetism, the space between us had finally been pulled away.

"Really," he nodded, kissing me gently on the mouth, my skin prickling with electricity.

"I love you," I whispered, wrapping my good arm around his neck so that I could curl against him.

"I love you too," he replied, allowing one arm to go around my back, while the other slid under my legs.

Once he had a good hold on me, he picked me up, carefully walking downstairs with a pair of pants draped over his shoulder.

T

"Are you sure that you'll be okay?" Darry asked, the nervousness so obvious in his voice.

"Not really," I sighed.

At this point, we were at the hospital waiting. We'd picked Dal up on the way, so now we were just sitting in the waiting room to be called. Personally, I wished that I could be somewhere else, but that was beside the point. Unfortunately, for Darry, he had to be at work. That was the reason why Dally was here with us at the moment. Dally would be here when I got out of surgery, sitting around and waiting on me.

"I just wish that I could stay," he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

He wasn't happy about leaving me here, even if it was with Dally.

"Look, man, just go already," Dally groaned.

"He's right Darry. If you don't, you'll be late for work," I told him, wrapping an arm around him.

"Alright," he sighed, pulling me closer for a moment. "But call me when she's gets out of surgery," he told Dally, placing a folded up piece of paper into his hand. "I'll see you later," he told me, pressing a quick kiss to my lips.

"Bye," I waved, watching as he walked out of the hospital.

"Man, some times he's down right annoying," Dally joked, a chuckle escaping his throat.

"He's just worried Dal," I told him, sitting down in a chair, only to have him put me in a headlock. "Dally!" I whined, shoving at him as best I could.

He merely laughed at this, drawing me a bit closer under his arm.

"I swear, if my arm wasn't so jacked up right now, I'd clock you one," I hissed, smacking him in the chest with my hand, only to regret it afterwards. "Ow…"

"Maybe you should use your head next time," he snickered, earning a glare from me.

I swear, even though we were friends, he'd still do stuff deliberately just to get under my skin.

"Get off," I said, elbowing him, only to have him grab my arm afterwards and holding it there. "I said, let go Dal."

"What's this?" he asked, eyes zeroing in on my ring.

"What's what?" I asked, trying to pull away, but it did me little good.

"This," he said, grabbing hold of my hand and pointing it out. "When did this happen?" he asked, eyeing me carefully.

I bit my lip for a moment, staring at him. I mean, I kind of expected him to have a slightly odd reaction, but I still wasn't ready for it.

"The other day," I told him, tugging my hand out of his to look down at the ring.

"I'm surprised he didn't tell me," he muttered, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Dal, look, I-"

"Winters?" I heard the nurse call.

"Dang it," I hissed, pushing myself up out of my seat.

Something always happened when I tried to talk to someone and this time was no different.

"Come on, Dal," I sighed, kicking his foot lightly with mine. "Right here," I replied, walking up to her.

"Ms. Winters, you're here for surgery, correct?" she inquired, looking me over for a moment, her stare making me feel a bit selfconscious as I took a small step back.

I felt myself bump into Dally's chest when I did this, making me look up. He merely gave me a small nod, before turning toward the nurse.

"She is," he said, answering for me.

"Alright then, before we start, would you mind taking off any jewelry?" she asked, glancing at my necklace and the ring on my finger.

"Um, sure?"

Honestly, I wasn't sure why she was asking that, but that's just how some places were. So without thinking too much on it, I pulled the necklace from my neck, and reluctantly pulled the ring from my finger. I made sure to loop it through the chain of my necklace though, before turning toward Dally, biting my lower lip as I held it out to him. He was the only one that I'd trust to hold onto it, afraid of letting anyone else touch it.

"Sure," he nodded, taking it from my hand and placing it in his pocket.

"I'm afraid that it's family only from this point," the nurse pointed out, looking at Dally with a disdainful look.

This in itself annoyed me, so I said the first thing that popped into my head.

"He's my cousin," I told her, leaning against Dal for emphasis.

"You two don't look anything alike," she said warily.

"I'm afraid that he takes after my aunt in that area," I shrugged.

"Hm…very well then. Follow me please," she said, walking down the hallway.

I merely nodded my head, before taking hold of Dally's hand, pulling him down the hallway with me. If I had to be around this woman, then so did he.

"Alright, I'm going to need you to change into this," she explained, holding a hospital gown in her hand.

I bit back a cringe as I looked at it, finally taking it from her hand after a moment.

"I'll be back to collect you in a couple minutes," she said, before walking out of the room, leaving Dally there staring at me.

"Either turn around or get out," I said pointedly, not giving him a chance to say anything.

"But I thought I was _family_?" he mocked, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his thin lips.

"That's a crap excuse and we both know it," I said, sitting down on the edge of the bed and tugging at the buttons.

"For crying out loud man," he groaned, stepping forward and undoing them much to my protest.

"Dally!" I nearly screeched, shoving him.

"Just shut up and sit still," he told me, carefully undoing the row of buttons, though making sure not to pull the shirt apart.

"Darry doesn't hear a word of this, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever man. I'm just tired of sitting here watching you trying to get the damn thing off," he grumbled, stepping away once it was done. "There, now hurry up," he told me, turning around so he couldn't look at me.

I didn't say anything after that though, merely slipping the shirt off of my arms and pulling the gown on, the back hanging open in the end.

"Hey, Dal, can you?" I started, gesturing toward the opening in the back.

"Yeah, sure," he sighed, a hint of fatigue in his voice.

"How much sleep did you get anyway?" I asked curiously, feeling him tugging on the strings a bit.

"What's it matter anyway?" he asked, tying the first few shut.

"Just curious. You sound tired," I stated, feeling his hand rest on my shoulder for a moment.

"I'll be fine," he assured me, his hand sliding off my shoulder to finish tying the back of the gown closed the rest of the way.

"Look, Dal, about the ring," I tried, turning to look at him.

"We'll talk about it later, alright?" he told me, finishing up and pulling away.

"Why do you always have to be so difficult?" I asked, standing up and tugging my pants off, the gown keeping me covered.

"Because I can," he said bluntly.

As a result of his comment, I threw my shoe at him, hitting him in the back of the head.

"Hey!" he scowled, rubbing the back of his head, before picking my shoe up off of the floor.

He then walked over, looking as if he'd smack me which it, but instead just shoved it into my hands. After that, he walked out of the room, hands shoved in his pockets.

"Dal…" I sighed, slumping down onto the bed, my feet brushing the ground.

"Ms. Winters?" the nurse called, stepping back into the room.

"Y-yes?" I stammered, turning my head to look at her.

"It's time," she told me, gesturing toward the door.

I felt my heart stop as I set there, eyes widening slightly. Granted, I had technically had surgery once before, but I was completely unconscious then. That wasn't the case anymore. I was scared because I was conscious of what was going to happen.

"Here's your hospital bracelet," she started, securing it around my left wrist. "Now, slip these on and we'll get to work," she told me, placing a pair of slippers on the floor.

"Okay," I breathed, pushing my feet into the thin material.

She then led me out of the room and into the hallway where Dally was standing, his head down, staring at the floor in thought.

"Dal?" I choked out, staring at him.

I could feel my eyes water as I stared at him, the fear finally starting to flow through over the barriers I had placed.

He looked up, taking my current state in. It was all too obvious the effect that it had on him, his jaw going slightly slack. This is why I was glad that the rest of the gang wasn't here. They'd never let him live it down.

"Come here," he said, stepping forward and pulling me into his arms, his arms wrapping around me.

I wanted to tell him that I was scared, but I couldn't manage to get it out. Instead, I felt his lips near my ear, his hot breath breathing out onto my skin.

"You'll be fine," he whispered, gripping my shoulder lightly before pulling back, a faint smile on his face.

"But," I started, hand twitching.

"No buts," he told me. "I'll be here when you get out, alright?"

I nodded slowly, before hugging him one more time. After that, I pulled back, staring up at him for a moment.

"Get outta here man," he said, carefully pushing me toward the nurse.

I only managed to look back one more time before the nurse dragged me away toward surgery, arms hanging limp by my sides. There was no going back now.

**Okay everyone, I would have liked more reviews before posting this one, but I'd already gotten to writting it and it's finished. So yeah. Anyway, REVIEW please? I'd LOVE to hear feedback on any ideas you guys have. REALLY. **

**Remember you DON'T have to have an ACCOUNT to REVIEW people! Even the smallest, simplest review will help. I want AT LEAST 5 REVIEWS before posting the next chapter.**

**Thanks everyone!**


	53. Ch 53: Going Under

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 53**

**Going Under**

I could feel my senses clouding as I laid there, a feeling of lethargy going through me. I felt sluggish and tired; numb.

I had an IV in my arm, pumping drugs into my system in order to prepare me for surgery, and as I laid there I saw Dally in the window. He was standing there, arm up on the window as he leaned against it, making eye contact with me.

"Da…lly…" I murmured, feeling my head fall to the side as I slowly lost the will to fight, my muscles going slack.

I continued to stare at him though as I laid there, the image of his presence giving me comfort. I knew that I wasn't alone.

"I think she's almost under," I heard a doctor mumble or at least that's how it sounded to my ears.

I wasn't sure though as I laid there, fighting to keep my eyes open as I slowly drifted in and out of consciousness. To be honest, I wasn't even aware that I was drifting off, the thoughts in my mind melding together with what I saw around me. Before I finally closed my eyes for the last time though, I could have sworn that I saw Dally say something.

"You'll be okay," he mouthed to me through the glass, pressing his face ever closer to it as his breath fogged it up.

After that, I fell into the darkness, the fuzzy feeling pulling me in and away from the light.

T

Dally stood there standing, watching as she faded away into sleep, eyes slowly closing. It was something that she had been managing to fight for the last five to ten minutes. Even she could only fight for so long though, slowly succumbing to sleep. This left him standing there, watching her as the doctors placed an oxygen mask over her face, the light above him turning green. That was his cue to take a seat and wait. Dally's problem though was that he didn't like waiting, the thought in general annoying him to no end.

"She'll be fine," he told himself, pulling her ring from his pocket, the small golden band hanging from the chain.

He still couldn't believe that Darry had actually popped the question. Not that Dally actually had a chance with her, but that was beside the point. He merely wished that Silvia were more like her, the mischievous Greaser girl that he'd been addicted to for the last couple years. Although, he knew that Silvia would never change. Even Abigail would likely tell him to move on, but without someone like Abigail, Dally couldn't find the strength. It was like a trap, a maze that he was stuck in with no escape. He was just too late to change anything unfortunately, but he knew that Darry was more deserving than he was, so he'd just have to let it go.

"At least she'll never go anywhere," he mumbled, turning the ring over in his hand, the light in the room shining off the small diamond.

Even though Dally could be a Jack at times, he'd still never do anything stupid, even as he stared down at the ring. She was happy and he knew it. They were close and that he knew that as well. Dally would never jeopardize that because she kept him hanging out. Their friendship was the only reason why he was still stand here breathing, the reason why he hadn't bit the bullet months ago. She was his chain instead of his string, something that could have been so easily cut.

"I love how nobody tells me anything anymore though," he scoffed softly, running a hand through his hair, the soft locks brushing against his fingertips as he let a sigh loose from his lips.

After a few minutes he finally stood, pulling himself from his chair and walking down the hallway. He needed something to eat.

T

Two hours later, Abigail was finally out of surgery, the nurses pushing her into a room to rest and wake up on her own. That also left Dally to contact Darry about things.

"Yeah, Dar, she's outta of surgery man," Dally breathed, leaning against the wall beside the payphone just outside the building.

"How'd it go?" Darry asked, a bit anxious to find out her condition.

"She's good man, but I've got a question for you though," he said, chewing at the inside of his cheek.

"Sure, what is it?"

"When were you plannin' on tellin' me?" Dally asked, softly pinching the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Darry asked slowly, unsure of the question.

"The ring man, I'm talkin' about the ring," he sighed, pushing off of the wall.

"Oh…"

Darry wasn't exactly sure what to say about that. He hadn't bothered to tell Dally in advance, Joe and Soda being the only two that actually knew about it before hand.

"Dal, listen, about that," Darry started.

"Don't you think I might of liked to know about it?" Dally asked, the annoyance clear in his voice.

"I was going to tell you, really, I was," Darry told him, running a hand through his hair.

To be honest, Darry wasn't completely sure how Dally would have reacted upon telling him. Perhaps that's why he hadn't said anything, he was afraid of his reaction to it.

"To think, I had to find out about it because we were messin' around," Dally told him. "I just happened to notice the ring. When were _either_ of you going to tell me?"

"Dallas, she was planning on telling you when she saw you. If it weren't for the fact that the gang was at the house last night, you'd have been the first to know," Darry assured him.

"So, I'm guessing that's what the money was for then?" he asked, hand curling around the frame where the phone was attached.

"Yeah."

"Look, I gotta go," Dally said quickly, before hanging up the phone.

He wasn't going to let Darry say anything else. Heck, he wasn't even sure why he was so irritated to be honest. After all, it's not like Abigail belonged to him anyway. She was Darry's, not his. So why did he feel so off?

T

I let out a faint groan as I laid there, pushing myself to open my eyes.

"Don't push yourself," I heard someone say, the voice fuzzy, but familiar.

"Dal?" I croaked through the haze.

"Yeah, it's me," he nodded, squeezing my hand softly.

I turned my head to look at him, my eyes still out of focus due to the drugs. He looked so fuzzy that it was actually slightly humorous.

"You look…fuzzy," I mumbled, closing my eyes for a moment.

"Yeah, I guess," he shrugged, leaning forward and touching my head for a moment.

"My necklace?" I groaned, looking toward him.

I saw him smile a bit, most likely since what hung on it was the little cross he'd given me for Christmas.

"Yeah, here," he said, pulling it from his pocket and placing it in my hand, the coolness of the metal making me sigh.

It felt so nice against my warm skin, cooling it, if only just a bit.

"Thank you," I whispered, letting myself lay there for a moment, my mind still a bit hazy.

I knew there was something else that I was missing, but I just couldn't think of what it was at the moment. The necklace was the only thing that I had asked for and that's what I had gotten, the little cross sitting in my hand, the bracelet at home.

"I'm glad you're okay," he said softly, holding my hand in his as he sat close beside the bed.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked, opening my eyes to look at him.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I was just worried is all. I mean, can you really blame me?"

"No…" I said, shaking my head.

Doing this made me a bit dizzy, something that was apparently obvious to Dally.

"Easy now," he chided.

"Sorry," I whispered, closing my eyes again.

I was so tired.

"When do you think I can get out of here?" I asked, feeling the need to get out of the hospital and somewhere more familiar.

"I can go ask if you want?" he offered, prepared to get up.

I nodded my head, letting out a small yawn.

T

Dally nodded his head as he stood up, moving from the room to find a doctor or nurse. If he got her out of here, then he'd likely take her over to his place to sleep for a while, somewhere where he could keep an eye on her and not have to worry about anything.

"Um, excuse me?" he called to a nurse, attempting to be polite.

"Yes?" she replied, giving him a once over.

Dally stood there for a moment, thinking of what to say. He knew that he had to be polite even if he didn't want to, otherwise, he wouldn't get anywhere with it. That was one thing that Dally wasn't used to, being polite to upper class people.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but," he started, looking back toward Abigail's room. "My cousin has a thing about hospitals and wanted to…inquire when she could leave," he said.

"Ms. Winters, correct?" the woman assumed.

"Yes," Dally answered.

"Hm…well, she got through surgery alright, and it was only for her arm," she started, looking over a paper. "I suppose it would be alright for her to leave, but I'll have to get her some medication first," she told him, walking over to one of the nurse's stations and writing something down. "If you don't mind helping her get dressed, we should be able to get her out of here shortly," she told him.

"Alright, thank you ma'am," Dally replied, quickly turning and heading back into Abigail's room.

There, he found her exactly where he had left her, merely laying there on the bed.

"Alright, she said you can go, but we gotta get you dressed first," he told her, grabbing her jeans from the little table by the bed.

"Okay," she nodded, slowly trying to sit up.

He quickly made his way over to her at that, helping her sit up. After that, her carefully edged her toward the side of the bed, guiding her a foot at a time into her jeans.

The entire time, she never said a word, merely leaning against him as he helped her stand. It was as though she didn't even mind, allowing him to dress her, his hands moving and buttoning her jeans for her. Once he was done with that, he laid her shirt on the edge of the bed, turning to her back and tugging loose the ties. At this point, he was thankful that she was out of it. He was also thankful that Darry wasn't there, otherwise, he might get his head kicked in.

"Just…stay still, alright?" he told her, pulling her back slightly in order to take the gown from her from, revealing her bare skin.

Luckily, her dignity was covered, so he didn't have to worry about. No, he just pulled the gown from her and replaced it with her shirt, taking his time in buttoning it up as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Dal?" she breathed, her breath hitting his neck.

"Yeah Abs?" he replied, looking down at her.

"Thanks," she whispered, before letting herself start to doze off again, her body falling limp against him.

"Whoa!" he nearly yelped, quickly grabbing hold of her shoulders with his hands. "Damn, you really are out of it, huh Princess?" he chuckled, carefully laying her back onto the bed so that he could slip her shoes on.

After that, he walked back out of the room, looking around for the nurse.

"Um, excuse me? She done getting dressed," he told the woman.

"Oh, good. I'll just need you to sign these then," she told him, handing him a clipboard with a few papers attached. "These are the release forms, so just sign them and then you're good to go."

"Fine," Dally sighed, taking the clipboard from her and glancing over the paper.

It was the basic crap, basically, confirming procedures, surgery, and crap like that. All standard stuff really. So, without further thought to the matter of paperwork, he signed his name to them. He handwriting though was slightly sloppy, but he could have cared less about that. Besides, its not like he was trying to make it look perfect or anything.

"Um, is there any way that we could get a wheel chair?" he asked suddenly.

"Of course," the nurse nodded, walking down the hallway a bit and grabbing a folded up wheel chair from against the wall.

She then rolled it back over to him, before pushing it into the room, finding herself slightly shocked at the way Abigail was laying on the bed.

"She kind of dozed off while I was helping her get dressed," Dally explained, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I see…" she said slowly, hesitantly looking over at him for a moment. "Ms. Winters," she called softly, gently shaking the girl.

She didn't respond though, so Dally moved forward and picked her up, setting her down in the wheelchair.

"Time to go Abs," Dally said, giving her shoulder a lightly squeeze.

In return, she let out a faint groan of recognition, eyes fluttering open for a moment or two.

"I'm gonna take you back to my place for a while, alright?" he told her, taking the handles of the wheelchair into his hands.

"Before I forget, here's her medication," the nurse said, coming forward with a bottle of pills.

Dally took it from her hand and stuffed it into his jacket pocket with a nod, carefully turning the wheelchair and pushing it out the door.

T

"Dal?" I groaned, leaning my head back.

"Yeah?"

"Where are we going?" I asked, shifting a bit from my position on his lap.

That's where I had ended up since the bus was pretty crowded. Not that I minded that much. In fact, if it weren't for that, I probably would have fallen over already. He was the only reason I was actually sitting up right, his arm around my waist.

"I'm taking you over to my place for a while, remember?" he reminded me, his grip tightening momentarily as we hit a bump in the road, my back hitting his chest.

"I just wanna lay down," I told him, leaning back a bit so that I could rest comfortably in his arms.

"Don't worry, you will," he promised, groaning when the bus suddenly came to a sharp stop. "Now what?" he grumbled, looking over the seats.

Outside, cars were stuck in a traffic jam, keeping the bus from moving on.

"I don't have time for this," he said, moving me so that he could stand up. "Come on, we'll walk the rest of the way," he told me, walking me up to the front of the bus. "We're gonna get off here," he told the driver, who in turn opened the doors for us.

I was the first to go down, holding tightly to the railing as my footing slipped.

"Careful," Dally warned, carefully taking hold of my arm.

"I'm trying," I told him tiredly, clutching the arm of his jacket once we stepped off.

"Think you can walk?" he asked, looking down at me.

"I think so," I sighed, feeling myself wobble a bit as a took a step forward.

My balance was completely off as I did this, making my need to hold onto Dally even more prevalent.

"Alright, come here," he said, pulling me closer.

"Huh?"

Before I knew it, Dally had me in his arms, making sure that my left side was pressed against him to avoid hurting my arm.

"Look, this is the only way that we're gonna be able to get to my place without taking forever," he told me, holding me close.

"Fine," I breathed, leaning my head back against him.

To be honest, it didn't feel that bad. He was warm after all, keeping me from getting cold since I didn't bring a jacket with me.

T

"I'm gonna take you upstairs and lay you down, alright?" Dally told her, looking down at her for a moment as he pulled out his key, sliding it into the lock of the door.

Abigail only nodded tiredly as he turned the key, snuggling against him for warmth. As a result, he was left wondering if this is what she did when she was in Darry's arms, cuddling up to him and all. He didn't think on it too much though as he pushed the door open, removing his key and closing it behind him.

"Hey, Buck, mind getting me a beer man?" Dally asked, turning toward his friend whom was currently seated behind the bar cleaning glasses.

"Yeah, sure," he grumbled out, his voice sounding rough and slightly raw at the moment.

"I'll be back down in a minute," Dally called over his shoulder, carefully moving up the stairs with Abigail in his arms, her legs swinging faintly as he carried her.

That was when he realized that she'd fallen asleep again, consciousness fading away.

"Man, they must have given you something strong Princess," he muttered to himself as he climbed up the second set of steps toward his room, his secondary key in hand to unlock his room.

Dally learned a long time ago to keep it lock, otherwise taking a chance of something getting stolen.

"Alright, here we go," he said, pushing the door closed behind him and placing her down on the bed, a groan emitting from her lips as he let go of her. "Hey, I'd hold you longer if I could Princess, but I gotta get me a beer," he chuckled, before moving back out of the room and downstairs.

"You want one for your little friend up there?" Buck asked, what would seem a knowing look on his face.

"Don't even think about it man," Dally warned, knowing what he was getting at. "Besides, she doesn't really drink anyway," he told him, grabbing the beer from counter and tossing the cap back before he took a drink. "I will take some water though."

"Whatever," Buck muttered, nearly tossing a glass of water onto the counter, letting it slide toward Dally.

After that, Dally walked back upstairs, the water in one hand and his beer in the other. Once he was back in his room though, he stopped, taking in the sight before him.

Abigail was laying there on his bed where he'd left her, but at this point, she was curled up. In Dally's mind, she looked almost like a small child as she laid there.

"Hey, Princess, wake up for a moment," Dally said, nudging her as he placed his beer down on the bedside table. "Abs, wake up," he pushed, nudging her again.

"Mmm…" she groaned, pealing her eyes open for a moment.

"Drink this," he told her, holding the glass of water out for her to take.

"I don't want it," she mumbled, trying to go back to sleep.

"You need to drink this," he told her. "It'll help, trust me."

"I'm tired," she nearly whimpered, her arms shaky as she pushed herself up.

"Easy," he said carefully, sitting down beside her on the bed.

"Sorry," she breathed, taking the glass into her hands, the coolness of the glass putting her at ease.

As a result, she placed it against her forehead for a moment before actually taking a drink of it, the cool liquid sliding down her throat.

"Why as I so tired?" she asked, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"You've still got the drugs in your system, that's why," he told her, draping an arm over her shoulders and pulling her just a bit closer.

"You're so warm," she whispered, snuggling against him.

"Man, if you're like this now, I'd hate to see you drunk," he chuckled.

"I don't get drunk," she mumbled into his shirt, slowly nodding off again.

"Well, I can probably guarantee that you're a light weight," he told her, pulling her head closer to his chest as they sat there, his hand brushing over what like bit of hair that there was on her head.

"Just…let me…sleep," she managed to get out, before letting the rest of her weight fall against him in slumber.

"What am I gonna do with you man?" Dally asked, before taking a swig of his beer.

After that, he lowered himself down onto the bed, allowing her to rest against him. If there was one thing that he was sure of, then it was that he couldn't complain about her company.

**Okay everyone, this one has been done for the last couple days or so. I got it finished the day that I posted the last one. I decided to put it up now because I had gotten AT LEAST 5 REVIEWS like I had asked. Which is really nice by the way. ALSO, the next chapter is almost done as well, so that means REVIEW or NO update. I really hate doing that to my readers, but it's not hard to submit a review. I NEED reviews to let me know if I'm still doing a good job and also for ideas. For instance, does ANYONE have ANY music/song ideas that I could use? I listen to certain music in order to help me set a certain mood in my writing at times or something that fits for the story.**

**IMPORTANT:**

**I'm bumping the requirement for the next update to 6 reviews. If I get even more than that, then I'll be VERY happy and try to make it longer. The next chapter is almost done too, just so everyone knows.**

**SPECIAL THANKS TO...:**

**Miss-Understood: You made a point to tell me that you'd start reviewing my chapters even though you don't have an account. *hugs* Thank you! :) I really appreciate it, really I do. As far as your question goes, no, nothing has been said about the dad yet. I promise you though that I've not forgotten about that. Your idea though for having him come to the wedding and starting something is a GREAT idea though. I never actually thought about that one, so I thank you. As far as the Dal/Abs relationship, I think he's just a bit miffed because he's confused about a few things. I plan on starting a side story to this one for him and a new character, that way he still has the personality change and isn't as much of a Jack at times if you know what I mean? Just have to figure out when I'm going to mention her in here is all. Lol. Anyway, thank you very much for the review and if you have any more ideas, any at all, just place it in your next review please? :)**

**GreaserGirlie: My loyal reviewie/reviewy. XD You know that you're always appreciated and help me write! *hugs* Motivation! Inspiration!**

**Imafanoftoomanythingstoname: Thanks for the review friend! As far as the surgery, she's gonna be good to go. *points to the top randomly* She just gonna be tired and sore for a while. Maybe a bit loopy because of the meds. Lol. This is gonna be fun.**

**peter: Yeah, sorry it took so long to update. I was kind of in a rut for a bit, that, and college keeps me busy. This week is going to kill me because of the work load I have now. Spring break if over and two of my classes are jamming me with reading and papers. Anyway, I thank you for reading and reviewing. I really do. :)**

**Madie: I'm really glad that you like my story hun and I how you continue to like it. Hopefully I can look forward to another review from you on this chapter and futures ones. Got any ideas that might help me?**


	54. Ch 54: Not Drunk

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 54**

**Not Drunk**

"Mmm…what time is it?" I mumbled, feeling a warm body beneath me.

I was almost startled though when I opened my eyes, finding Dally laying there beneath me, eyes open, but tired as he stared at the ceiling with a cigarette in his mouth.

"Dal?" I called out, glancing around the room for a moment.

I wasn't at home, that much was for certain.

"Huh?" he asked, turning his eyes back to look at me as he laid there on his pillow, the smoke from his cigarette slowly floating up to the ceiling.

"Where am I?" I asked softly, covering my mouth as I yawned.

"My place, remember?" he said, raising an eyebrow in question.

"You're place…when?" I asked, brows furrowing as I raked my brain for answers.

"Man, those drugs really messed with your head, didn't they?" he chuckled, pushing himself up on the bed.

"Sorry," I sighed, running a hand over my face.

"Don't be," he told me, reaching forward and fixing my shirt.

I felt myself blush as he did this, cheeks heating up as I sat there.

"Sorry, Princess, just trying to keep your dignity intact," he chuckled, pulling the cigarette from between his lips.

"Dallas!" I cried, smacking his chest with my hand.

He only laughed at my attempt to hit him, falling back onto the bed of a moment and laying there.

"Man, you hit like a girl," he teased, taking another drag.

"I am a girl!" I told him, eyes narrowed.

"You ain't much of one then," he said smugly.

"Don't make me hurt you," I warned.

"I'd like to see you try," he challenged, staring me straight in the eyes.

"Dal!" I yelled, raising my hand to smack him in the back of the head, only to end up groaning afterward as I felt the muscle pull in my shoulders. "Ow…" I groaned, leaning forward a bit.

"You might wanna take a couple of these," he sighed, jiggling a bottle of pills in front of me.

"Where'd you get those from Dal?" I asked curiously.

"They're yours," he said simply, a smirk on his face as he tossed the bottle into my lap.

"Lovely," I sighed, running a hand over my face.

I then opened the bottle, looking down at it for a moment as I let my eyes scan over it, reading a little bit. I was just glad that as I dumped them into my hands, they weren't very large pills. I hated taking big pills because I normally always managed to choke on them. They were just too hard for me to swallow.

"Here," Dally said, holding out a bottle of beer.

I scrunched my nose up as he did this, but took it anyway, popping the pills in my mouth and taking a swig. I nearly gagged in response as I swallowed, handing the beer back to him. It was disgusting.

"Ugh, that tastes gross," I cringed.

"Hey, man, it's flat," he shrugged, sitting the bottle down on the bedside table, before folding his hands behind his head.

"I feel like crap," I said flatly.

"Eh, you'll get over it," he said, biting back a smile.

"Oh, shut up you," I told him, picking up my foot and shoving him with it.

"So…," he started, looking up at the ceiling. "When exactly were you gonna tell me about everything?" he asked, seeming a bit more relaxed at the moment.

"You mean…"

"Yeah," he nodded, glancing over at me for a moment.

"I planned on telling you the moment I got back yesterday," I told him, carefully rubbing my arm, my mouth twitching as a result.

My arm in general was still tender, but I touched it nonetheless. I just hoped that the meds would kick in soon, taking all of the pain away.

"Why didn't you?" he asked quietly.

"I…," I started, but paused for a moment, thinking of why I didn't call him about it when I got back. "I don't know," I said honestly, my brows furrowing together in thought.

Why hadn't I called him. I mean, everyone else knew about it. Granted, Joe didn't know about it yet, but still. Why hadn't I called Dally and told him? Whenever something big comes up or happens, I normally always tell him about it. So why didn't I?

I didn't even see him sitting up as I sat there, completely buried in my thoughts. That was until I felt his arm around my shoulders, pulling my head into the base of his neck.

"Look, don't worry about it, alright?" he sighed, resting his chin on top of my head for a moment.

"But…"

"No buts," he said firmly, before getting up off the bed and walking over to the window.

He stood there for a moment, merely staring down through the glass. The only things down there were a few cars, street lamps, and a fence. Regardless, he stood there staring, watching even.

"Dal?" I called quietly.

"Hm?"

"You okay?" I asked, almost hesitant.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Look, I'll be right back, so stay here," he told me, turning away from the window and heading out the door.

I didn't know what to say as I sat there on the bed, biting my lower lip. The whole thing was obviously bothering him, but I didn't know what to do about it. I wasn't even sure why it was bothering him to be honest.

"I wish things made more sense."

T

"No what are ya doin'?" Buck asked, catching sight of Dally.

"Nothin' man, just thought I'd come downstairs for a bit," Dally told him, leaning over the bar and grabbing a beer as he passed a couple people sitting at the counter.

"So, what, ya just gonna leave her up there then?" Buck asked, raising an eyebrow in question at his young friend.

"Just leave me alone man," Dally grumbled, moving over to the door and stepping outside.

He needed some air and that's all he knew, sitting down on the steps outside, people slowly piling in as the next couple hours passed by.

T

"Guys, I'm home!" Darry called, stepping inside the house with a couple bags of groceries in his arms.

He'd made sure to stop by the grocery store on his way home, knowing that Abigail would get on him if he didn't. Especially, since they were low on food at the moment, and the fact that she'd been wanting to make cake for the boys again. For that reason, he'd made sure to pick everything up that she needed.

"Now, I know you guys aren't deaf," he called out, walking into the kitchen, hearing a few shouts as he went. "Either get down here or no food," he called up the stairs, before walking back into the kitchen and pulling the groceries out of the bags.

After that, everyone came running, the sound of rampant footsteps rushing down the stairs.

Soda was the first one down, pushing his way into the kitchen. After that, Steve walked in followed by Eden and Two-Bit. Ponyboy was the last one down though, carefully carrying Johnny down the stairs.

"Do I even wanna know what all you guys were doing up there?" Darry asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Not really," Soda shrugged.

"We were all playin' spin the bottle," Two-Bit piped up, biting back a laugh as he looked at Darry's reaction.

"No we weren't Two-Bit," Ponyboy sighed, sitting Johnny down in one of the chairs.

"Come on, now, why'd ya have ta go and ruin all my fun?" Two-Bit whined, Darry shaking his head in response.

"You really need to get a life kid," Darry said, his comment aimed at Two-Bit.

"Hey, I already got one," Two-Bit chuckled, pulling Eden closer and ruffling her hair.

A moment later, she went chasing after him, yelling as she went. Everyone else merely watched, laughing as Two-Bit tripped over his feet and fell on the floor, Eden kicking him straight in the rear.

"Man, you're getting beat up by a girl now," Steve laughed, standing beside Soda.

"Hey, you guys know if Abigail's awake or not?" Darry asked, placing the milk in the refrigerator.

"How would we know? She ain't here," Steve shrugged, grabbing some lunch meat and taking a seat at the table.

"Give me that," Darry said, snatching the meat out of his hands and placing it on the counter. "And what do you mean, she's not here?" he asked.

"Just what I said, she ain't here," Steve told him, making sound like it was obvious, before getting back up and making a grab for the lunch meat again.

"Wait a sec, Dally should have brought her back by now," he spoke aloud, brows furrowing in confusion.

"Dally?" Ponyboy asked in confusion. "I thought you were bringin' her home Dar?"

"I left that to Dally," Darry sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He's probably got her over at his place."

"Why would he have taken her over there?" Ponyboy asked.

"He got pissed off earlier when I talked to him," Darry told him, letting himself lean back against the counter. "He wasn't too happy about being left out of the loop on the whole marriage thing," he explained.

"You're kiddin' me, right?" Two-Bit asked skeptically.

"No, I'm not," Darry heaved.

"Well, knowin' Dal, they're probably talking about it," Ponyboy told him, watching as he shrugged.

"I guess."

"Hey, don't worry about it Dar, I'm sure they'll work it out," Soda assured him.

T

I sat there waiting for Dally like he'd told me, but he never came back up. I wasn't even sure how long I'd been waiting, just the fact that it had been a while and I felt strange, my mind fuzzy and clouded. It was as if the colors around me were trying to mold into one. Different thoughts spun through my head. Maybe I should go find him and apologize? Check on him at least.

T

Abigail stumbled around as music pounded through the room, the tune fast and edgy. The words were blurred as she slumped down on an empty stool, heart pounding, body swaying slightly from side to side as she zoned out. It was as if she was drunk, but she'd never been drunk in her life. Her skin was practically on fire at the moment.

"Hey there darlin'," came a voice from her left.

Turning her head, she found said owner strolling toward her, walking up to her as he placed his hands on top of the counter on either side of her. His face was mere inches from hers as he leaned forward.

Abigail didn't even move as he did this, hot breath brushing against her skin already burning flesh. Her senses didn't even register the pungent smell of alcohol on his breath.

"Wanna dance?" he asked, showing off is pearly whites, voice slightly slurred from the consumption of alcohol.

"Sure," she nodded slowly, feet settling on the ground as she let him pull her from her stool, dragging her up by her arm and leading her toward the middle of the room.

She didn't even know what she was doing as she stood there with him, feeling his hands on her, running over her waist as they moved. It was like she was dreaming or something, that the things around her weren't even real. Her senses tingling with every touch, every sound, every thought. Almost like she had a buzz of some sort.

"Darry…" she whispered softly, her voice being drowned out by the music.

"Wha'd ya say darlin'?" he asked, drawing her closer, his face mere inches from her own.

"Darry," she replied, repeating herself.

"Darry?" he asked skeptically. "The hell kind of name is that?"

"Abigail?"

They both turned their heads upon hearing the voice to find Dally standing there, an angry look on his face as he took in the other man, fury shooting through in as he spotted the man's hands on her body. The guys face was still close to hers, lust in his eyes as he disregarded her mention of another man. His mind was on one thing only.

"Get the hell off of her," Dally growled, his hand curling around the man's shirt as he tore him away from her, shoving him toward the exit.

"What's your problem man?" the guy asked angrily, shoving back.

"What's my problem? You wanna know what my problem is?" Dally asked, trying to control his temper. "My problem is you trying to cop a feel," he told him, shoving him hard in the chest.

"I don't see your name on her anywhere," the man argued.

"Yeah, well, she's engaged. So, get lost jackass," Dally pushed, finally managing to push him outside, everyone else ignoring the fight around them.

"Dal?" Abigail whispered fearfully, reaching out to her friend.

Without a second thought, Dally walked over to her, grabbing her and pulling her into his arms.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he told her, giving her a small squeeze.

"Dance with me?" she asked, leaning against him, his temper slowly beginning to simmer down as he looked down at her.

"What happened to you?" he asked, brows furrowing together as he looked her in the eyes, her eyes slightly dilated.

It was a look that he'd seen many a time before, but never from her. Problem was, there were only a few scenarios in which it could have happened.

"Are you drunk?" he asked, pulling her back a couple inches so that he could look at her properly.

"No," she whined, letting her head rest against him. "Dance with me?" she asked, a faint whimper in her voice.

She didn't smell like alcohol or anything like that and he knew that she'd never do something to get high, so he wasn't sure what was up with her. Still, he nodded warily, gently taking her into his arms as she wrapped hers around his neck; her body close to his.

At the same time Dal began to calm down, Abigail felt suffocated, her body and mind on autopilot. She really had no control over her thought process.

"Dal? Am I a good person?" she asked suddenly, looking up at him, eyes watery.

"What? Of course you are," he told her, confused as to why she'd even be asking something like that. "Why would you even ask such a thing?"

"I hurt you," she recalled.

"Abs, listen, you didn't do anything wrong," he assured her, his hands coming to rest upon her cheeks.

"I'm terrible," she murmured, closing her eyes for a moment, head down. "You must hate me now," she whispered, her words still reaching his ears through the music of Roy Orbison's 'Pretty Woman'.

"I don't hate you," he told her, letting his thumb stroke her cheek gently. "I could never hate you," he whispered, pressing his lips to her forehead before pausing. "I love you more than you know," he admitted.

"Dal?" she whispered, looking up into his eyes.

"You have no clue," he breathed, biting his lip before finally making up his mind and leaning down.

Within seconds, his lips were pressed lightly against hers, the taste of beer now on her lips. It was a feeling that sent her reeling, her eyes closing as she leaned in subconsciously, tentatively racking her fingers though his hair. This in itself was something that set Dal's soul on fire, spurring him forward as they found themselves against the door frame by the stairs, both equally involved at this point.

"Dal…" she breathed, leaning back in as she kissed him, gripping his shoulder.

In return, he ran his hand against the skin of her side, pulling her closer. His other hand held onto the doorframe, balancing himself as he pushed his weight forward, pushing her back against the frame. He knew this was wrong, but he couldn't help it. Just the fact that she was kissing him back sent him soaring, his breath heaving in and out as he pressed another kiss to her mouth, pulling lightly until a faint moan escaped her. He knew that she had to feel something, otherwise, she wouldn't be kissing him back.

"Dal," she whispered, gripping his shirt as she shook from the feeling.

"I've wanted to do that for so long," he breathed, leaning down and kissing the side of her neck, a groan escaping her as she curled her fingers around the back of his shirt.

It was a name, a name that made him stop and frown as he pulled back, looking into her glossy eyes. She's mumbled Darry's name, not his. The name of her boyfriend, her fiancé. She'd called out for him, not Dally, and it was what reminded him and made him realize just what he had done.

T

I stood there staring at him as I slowly felt my legs give way, my body sliding down against the doorframe, the kiss still fresh on my lips. It had been so invigorating, so electrifying that I wasn't sure what to make of it in my seemingly drunken state. I had to admit, he was a kisser though. My thoughts then somehow managed to go to Darry, finding myself comparing the two for some odd reason, trying to figure out who was a better kisser.

"I'm sorry," Dally told me, kneeling down in front of me.

I ignored his words though, leaning forward and kissing him, bracing myself against his shoulder so that I wouldn't fall.

"Abigail," he groaned, kissing me back, his hand on my cheek as his brows furrowed together. "I can't do this," he sighed, pulling back, and for a moment I felt rejected.

"Why?" I groaned. "Don't you like me?" I asked childishly, my words melding together, nearly becoming one.

"Of course I do," he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Then kiss me," I said simply, gripping the front of his shirt lightly and kissing him, his hand coming up and touching my cheek as he kissed back.

He pulled back a moment later, the look on his face suggesting that he didn't want to, but he did anyway.

"I'm sorry," he told me, standing up and walking upstairs, leaving me to sit there on the floor.

"Dal?" I whined, craning my neck to look up the stairs.

I heard his door slam once he got up there, a wave of dizziness suddenly hitting me. I suddenly felt sick to my stomach, letting myself slide further to the floor, my head leaning against the steps. I felt nauseous and lightheaded.

"Hey, you okay hun?" I heard someone asked, the voice female and concerned.

I opened my eyes to look at her, her face drawn out with blue eyes and blond hair. She was Two-Bit's preferred type, hands down.

"Hey, you don't look too good," she pointed out, crouching down in front of me.

"Dal…" I whimpered, closing my eyes, the fuzzy feeling slowly starting to consume me.

**Alright, I want to thank everyone that review my last chapter. Also, since I got even more reviews, as promised, I worked extra hard on this chapter and made it longer. I REALLY hope that everyone liked it? I also want to thank Little Miss Dancer Girl and historynerdrevolution for the songs ideas. It really helped. Also, Miss-Understood for the story ideas. :)**

**Remember people, I need reviews to keep me writing, so keep reviewing! Thanks everyone! And once again, AT LEAST 6 REVIEWS! Or no update. My music only helps so much people.**


	55. Ch 55: Perfume

**For The Love of a Greaser**

**Chapter 55**

**Perfume**

Darry heaved a heavy sigh as he stared down at Abigail. She was still asleep, even after passing through the night. He still remembered when Dally had finally brought her home, a frown forming on his face at the memory. He'd fought so hard against the thought that something had happened, the paranoia prodding at the back of his mind.

Normally, if Dally brought her back home or something like that, he'd joke around or something. This time, the mood was different, the atmosphere tense. It was almost as though he were hiding something from them, like there was a black cloud hovering over his head, but Darry had no clue what it was. His only hope was that whatever it was, he'd find out when Abigail finally woke up. Although, he had found it strange upon hearing Dally's words. He'd told Darry to keep an eye on her whenever she took her pain pills, telling him that they messed with her head a bit. He wasn't exactly sure what the extent of that was, but he'd find out later.

"Hey, Dar?"

"Yeah, Ponyboy?" Darry replied, turning toward his kid brother as he stood there in the doorway.

"Ya mind giving me a hand downstairs?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

He'd been trying to peel potatoes for a while and there were just too many for him to do on his own.

"Yeah, sure kid," Darry nodded, slowly getting up off the edge of the and bed and walking over to the door, but not before giving one final look toward Abigail's sleeping form.

T

I groaned as I woke up, slowly opening my eyes. I could feel the sheets beneath me, soft, comfortable. The feeling nearly kept me planted in my spot. The only thing that prevented that though was my stomach which felt hot and bubbly, almost sick. I was in desperate need of food. Although, when I finally took notice to everything around me, I realized that I wasn't at Dally's anymore. Instead, I woke up in my own bed this time, the gentle light shining in through the window.

"Darry?" I groaned, slowly pushing myself up into a sitting position.

I felt so strange sitting there, a faint fuzzy feeling gnawing at the reaches of my mind. What was it from? I faintly remembered the feeling from yesterday, but that was about it. What _did_ happen last night anyway?

"So, that girl has actually tried talking to you then?" I faintly heard Darry's voice ask from downstairs.

The sound alone drew me from the bed, pulling me toward the door, my bare feet touching upon the carpet in mine and Darry's room.

"Yeah, I think she may finally be trying to break away from the whole Soc and Greaser thing," I heard Ponyboy reply.

"Darry?" I groaned, standing at the top of the stairs, my hand clutching the rail.

"Abigail?"

Within moments he'd gotten out of his seat, coming to stand at the bottom of the stairs, a small smile on his face.

"You're awake," he breathed, slowly making his way up the steps.

I tried to meet him, but nearly ended up falling, his arms finding their way around me immediately.

"Don't worry, I've got you," he said softly, his hand coming to rest against the back of my head.

"Are you…wearing _women's _perfume?" I asked curiously, smelling the scent that seemed to blanket him at the moment.

He laughed at this, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I am," he answered. "It wasn't really by choice though," he told me.

"It's Two-Bit's fault," Ponyboy supplied, standing by the table as he peeled a random yellow potato.

"Well, at least it smells nice," I said, trying not to embarrass him.

"I smell like you should," he pointed out.

"And how's that a bad thing?" I grinned a bit sluggishly, leaning forward and wrapping my arms around his neck.

I felt him pull me closer when I did this, picking me up and carrying me down the stairs. Once at the bottom, he placed me down on the couch, the springs creaking for just a moment.

"You hungry?" he asked, carefully letting himself lean back on the coffee table for a moment so as not to put too much weight on it, hands placed precariously on either side of him.

"Kind of," I shrugged, wrapping my arms around myself.

He seemed to take notice of my actions as I sat there, head leaning back a bit against the couch in fatigue. I was still tired and I didn't remember eating anything yesterday. All that I really remember was waking up at Dally's and then waking up here. Although, there was still something nagging at the back of my head as though something big had happened, something important that I was forgetting about.

"I'll get you some crackers," Darry told me, pushing off of the coffee table as he stood up, walking into the kitchen.

"Alright," I nodded, a yawn escaping me.

"So, what happened last night?" Darry asked from the kitchen, pulling something from the fridge.

"What do you mean?" I asked, completely clueless as to what was going on.

"What happened while you were over at Winston's?" he clarified, walking back into the living room, a soda in one hand and crackers in the other.

"At…Dally's?" I asked, brows furrowing together.

"Yeah, you _were_ over there for quite a while last night," he told me, giving me a strange look.

"I…" I started, but stopped, pausing for a moment.

What _had_ happened last night? I remembered Darry dropping me off at the hospital, Dally staying there to watch me. After that, we left on the bus while I was still out of it. We got to his place at some point, I fell asleep, then I woke up. I woke up to Dally beneath me, a cigarette in his mouth. He'd given me some pills for the pain, having me down them with a drink of beer and it had tasted disgusting.

I then remembered the fact that I'd upset him. He was a bit on edge after telling him about me and Darry. I didn't understand why though. After that, things kind of got fuzzy. I didn't know why though.

"I…I don't know," I told him.

"What do you mean you don't know?" he asked.

"I…I don't remember," I whispered, trying to rack my brain for answers.

There had to be something there because it was impossible to be completely blank. I never forgot things like that.

"You don't remember? How do you not remember?" Ponyboy asked, slowly stepping forward.

"Abigail, what happened?" Darry asked, sitting the crackers down on the coffee table. "I mean, Dally said to be careful when you took your meds, but still. That's all he told me. Said it messed with your head a bit," he explained.

"My head?" I whispered.

My head? They messed with my head?

I then looked down at my hand, staring at the place where my ring should have been. It was gone.

"My ring," I sputtered, freaking out as I looked around me.

It was nowhere in sight. Not the floor, not the couch, not anywhere.

"What are you talking about?" Darry asked warily.

"My ring, i-it's gone," I stammered, looking around on the floor, nearly bumping my head against the coffee table as I did so.

There was no way that I could have possibly lost something so important.

"Just calm down," Darry said softly, placing his hands on my shoulders. "When was the last time that you saw it?" he asked, looking me straight in the eyes.

"At the hospital," I told him. "I took it off and gave it to Dal, along with my necklace."

"You gave it to Dally?" Ponyboy asked skeptically.

"Knock it off," Darry told him, before turning back to me. "Maybe you forgot to get it back from him?" he suggested.

"I…yeah," I sighed. "That…that must be it," I nodded faintly, trying to calm down.

"Why don't you try eating and then we'll go and pay Dal a visit?" Darry suggested, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Alright," I sighed.

T

"Are you sure don't want me to just go in and get it for you?" Darry asked, looking over at me as we pulled up to Buck's place.

"I can do it," I told him, rubbing my eyes for a moment.

I then waited until he parked, killing the engine and opening the door. He came around to my side and opened mine, helping me out of the truck.

"Thanks," I smiled, leaning up and pressing a small kiss to his lips.

He grinned in response as he closed the door, walking up to the front of Buck's with me.

"He, man, open up!" Darry called through the door, knocking his fist on it a few times to get Buck's attention.

Within moments, the front door was being opened and Buck was standing there with his arms crossed over his arms.

"Curtis, long time no see," Buck greeted, a smug look on his face.

It dropped though when he saw me standing there with Darry.

"You," he stated, eyeing me for a moment.

"I'm…here to see Dally," I told him, leaning my head against Darry's side.

"Yeah, sure," Buck replied gruffly, moving out of the way in order to let us in. "He's upstairs," he muttered, walking back behind the bar to continue his work from before.

"I'll be right back," I said, letting go of Darry's hand as I made my way over to the stairs, my hand gripping the rail tightly.

This was probably something that I should have had help with, but I just brushed it off, taking it one step at a time.

Once I was at the top, a small smile slid over my face, my ears picking the voices of Buck and Darry from downstairs. A small conversation had been started between the two, my name being mentioned during one of Buck's statements. I ignored it though as I walked over to Dally's room and knocked, a groan emitting from behind the door.

"Dally?" I called out, standing there for a moment.

I heard another groan, before the shuffling of feet met my ears. Seconds later, Dally was standing there in front of me, hand through his hair and a blank look on his face.

"What are you doing here?" he asked curtly.

"Um…my ring?" I said, lifting my hand up for emphasis.

"Oh."

"Yeah," I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck for a moment.

"Sure, uh, just come in man," he said, stepping out of the way so that I could walk into the room.

He shut the door after that, moving over to the night stand, my ring laying on top of the nice cheer wood finish of the stand.

"Sorry about that Princess, didn't really I still had it at first," he told me, scooping it up into his hand. "Found it in my pocket last night."

"It's alright," I told him, stepping forward to take it.

He just stood there though, making no move to give it back.

"Um, Dal?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"How'd ya sleep?" he asked, carefully looking me over for a moment.

"Fine, I guess," I shrugged, not really sure what else to say to him about it. "My head was still a bit fuzzy though."

"Yeah, about that," he started, rubbing the back of his head.

"Dal, what happened last night?" I asked, biting my lower lip.

"I'm not sure what you mean," he said, an obvious lie behind his tone.

"Something happened last night Dal and we both know it. What I want to know is why," I pointed out, referring to the conversation about me and Darry being engaged.

He seemed to have something else in his head as he spoke up though, his words hitting me hard.

"Look, I'm sorry, alright? I knew that I shouldn't have done it, but I did," he told me, walking forward as he placed his hands on my shoulders. "I mean, you kissed back though, so I know that there's something there."

I nearly choked as he said this, my eyes going wide, mouth hanging open.

"I…" I started, but was cut off as I felt him press his lips lightly to mine, the events from last night flooding back.

Memories of stumbling down the steps of Buck's establishment, dancing with a prick, the fight between the two, dancing with Dally, my depression, the kiss…

His lips had been so soft, the kiss so loving, and gentle. At the same time, it had been slightly demanding, but only after I had responded to it. He had told me that he loved me, held me close.

"_Dal, am I a good person?"_

I felt his hand on the back of my neck as I stood there, not fighting back at the moment, but not responding either.

"…_didn't do anything wrong."_

"_I love you more than you know."_

"…_no clue."_

"_Dal…"_

"_Then kiss me."_

I stood there for a moment, staring at Dally wide eyed, before pushing away and falling back onto the floor.I could barely even register anything as I sat there, my eyes watering. I was so confused, so frightened, ashamed… I remember kissing Dally. How could I have done that to Darry? How? I was a cheat, a fake, a hypocrite. I was something that I promised myself I would never be, a heart breaker.

It was then that I got up, tears in my eyes as I ran down the stairs, completely forgetting about the ring that I'd come for. I didn't even register at the time the fact that Darry had been standing outside the door, the hurt and upset look on his face. The only thing on my mind was running, something I had been used to all my life, something that I thought was over. When I was a kid, I would run away, and that's what I was doing once more.

**Alright everyone, that was chapter 55. I really hope that everyone liked it? Again, I want AT LEAST 6 REVIEWS. Otherwise, no update. The reviews help me write people. Also, if ANYONE has ANY song ideas, please let me know? Music helps set the mood for scenes in my story. Let me know what you think everyone!**


	56. Ch 56: Kiss and Tell

**Chapter 56**

**Kiss and Tell**

I couldn't believe that I was running again. Running away from my problems. My problem was, I felt like I couldn't even breathe. Every pent up emotion, every thought, every insignificant thing. They were breaking loose and tearing me apart from the inside out, sending me straight into a whirlwind of disaster, making it feel like my heart would beat right out of my chest as the tears fell.

"I…I can't breathe," I choked out in panic, finally reaching the vacant lot and collapsing onto my hands and knees in the grass.

I was having a panic attack, my chest constricting and tightening painfully, each breath coming out quicker and shorter. I could hear every breath, the pure sound of my heartbeat pounding, pulsing inside my ears. My eardrums were being beaten to a pulp with every gasp for breath. I simply couldn't breathe, every breath I took coming out before it could be used.

"Winters?" I heard someone call, the sound of footsteps running toward me as I closed my eyes, shoulders shaking. "Abigail, you okay?"

It was Tim Shepard, his dirty blond hair falling in front of his eyes as he knelt down in front of me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, Winters, you okay?" he asked again, trying to get my attention.

I just wasn't able to get a reply out though as I set there, trying to calm down enough so that I could actually breathe. That's the problem with emotions, sometimes they could just be too overwhelming, each one pounding into you like a sharpened nail to drywall. The remains would crack a bit every time if you weren't careful, until eventually, they crumbled into nothingness.

"Hey, man, she got asthma or somethin'?" one of Tim's buddies asked.

"Nah, she don't got no asthma," Tim replied, gripping my shoulders lightly. "I've seen Angela do this once before," he told him, before turning his attention straight back toward me.

"Hey, Abby, ya gotta calm down," Shepard told me, giving me a small squeeze. "Abs, you gotta calm down or else you're gonna give yourself a heart attack," he said firmly, giving me a small shake this time.

It was hard though, so hard. So many things running through my head at once that I felt myself becoming dizzy, colors and sounds melding together, the sun pounding on my back. I could hear the faint sound of birds around me as my mind began to fog over, the breeze on the grass as it swayed between my fingers. Every touch, thought, and sound melted together into one.

"Abs? Abs? Can you hear me?"

I just can't handle this, this shame, this fear.

T

Darry stood there, staring blankly at the wall. He'd heard everything, all because he'd decided to follow her up the stairs, his need to watch over her now pulling him down into a black pit. He'd heard Dally's every word, his hands curling tightly at his sides as they echoed through his mind. He wasn't sure what to believe. After all, should he believe Abigail to be that type of person, what then? After all, he'd just proposed to her and then something like this happens. She couldn't have, so why were these things being said? All because they'd come back for a tiny golden band.

It wasn't until Dally went to run out of the room though that Darry pushed himself off of the wall, blue meeting brown in a deadly stare of thundering rage.

"Darrel," Dally nearly choked out, pausing in his movements as he stood there.

"Why?" Darry asked, his eyes holding a certain sadness to them. "Why would you even think of doing such a thing like that?" Darry asked, taking a step forward, his weight pressing painfully into the floor boards.

"Darrel, man, it's not what you think," Dally tried, but it did the guy little good as Darry took another step forward, hand curling into a fist at his side.

He was so close to going off, taking it out on Dally. So close. After all, it was because of Dally that she'd run and because of Dally that he'd have to go looking for her now.

"Do you even realize what you've done?" Darry asked, shoving him harshly against the wall of the hallway, his arm now pressing against the guy's throat in anger.

"The hell are you talkin' about man?" Dally asked, trying to shove him off.

"They told us no stress!" Darry hissed. "That too much stress could cause complications!" he pushed, before moving back. "You don't even realize what you've done!"

At this point, Darry had completely forgotten what had taken place, his main concern now placed on Abigail.

"If anything, and I mean anything has happened to her, you're dead," Darry told him, before making his way down the stairs, the front door slamming behind him.

He had to find her.

T

"Hey, ya gave me quite the scare," I heard someone say, slowly opening my eyes to find Tim there.

At this point, his jacket was off, revealing a tight, sleeveless white shirt. I couldn't help, but to notice a few sweat stains on it, most likely from when he'd been working out. His hair wasn't slicked back any longer either, leaving it laying in strands on his head. This was truly the first time that I'd ever seen Tim Shepard like this.

"Where am I?" I asked shakily, slowly pulling myself into a sitting position.

"My place," he said simply, walking over to the couch that I was laying on.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked, my chest aching terribly.

"Just cuz I'm a guy, doesn't mean I'm stupid," he told me, taking a seat beside me. "You were having a panic attack, so obviously, something was wrong."

"How do you know?" I asked quickly, eyeing him for a moment.

"Ang has had one before," he told me, pointing toward the stairs casually.

"Your sister?" I asked, brows furrowed slightly in confusion.

"Yeah. She was a real mess when it happened too. So, I'm guessin' you can't be too far off either," he pointed out.

I shut my mouth as a result, sitting there, my hands in my lap.

"I screwed up," I whispered after a moment, feeling my eyes water.

"What do ya mean, you screwed up?" he asked.

"Darry asked me to marry him a few days ago," I told him, playing with the finger where my ring should have been.

"Bout time," he chuckled, swiping at the spot just below his nose. "Heard somethin' from Two-Bit bout it, but wasn't sure it was true or not."

"I did something stupid last night," I nearly whimpered, catching him by surprise.

"And what's that?" he asked skeptically, leaning his elbows on his knees.

"I…I kissed Dally," I wished, finally speaking the words I'd been dreading to set free.

Then, just as I did, it felt like it actually started to sink in. The true depths of my mistake were now knocking on the door, finally busting their way through. This meant that I'd likely destroyed anything that I'd had with Darry, my heart clenching tightly causing me to wince in pain, causing me to grip at my chest.

"Hey, hey," he started, quickly moving to take my shoulders into his hands. "We're not doin' this again," he told me, staring me down. "Just breathe," he told me.

"But…" I whispered, pinching my eyes shut.

"Calm down," he said firmly.

"I…I can't," I choked out, tears slowly falling.

"C-come on now," he said, obviously feeling uncomfortable. "There's no need to cry over it."

I just shook my head.

"Besides, I wouldn't doubt it was Winston's fault to begin with," he scoffed. "Probably kissed you first, didn't he?" he asked.

It was then that my eyes widened slightly. He was right, Dally did kiss me first, but I still kissed back last night. That was on me and nothing could change what I'd done. I'd have to take responsibility for my actions. Unfortunately though, I feared that doing that would lead me away from the man I loved, dragging me straight through the muddy waters of despair. Sadly, it already was, blood staining the bandages on my arm as my lungs continued to heave painfully.

T

He was livid as he drove back to the house, hands gripping tightly at the wheel. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to feel at the moment, but regardless of how utterly hurt he was, he still felt that he had to find her. He had to find Abigail and make sure that she was okay. What's more, he needed to know what was going on.

"Abigail…" he sighed.

T

I let out a shaky sigh as I laid there on the couch, my eyes closed as Tim worked on fixing my arm up. It hurt, that was no lie, but I'd deal with it. I just couldn't believe that I was actually here, laying on Shepard's couch. Even if Dally had kissed me first, I was still at fault for kissing back. I'd betrayed my vow to Darry after barely even accepting his proposal. Why did I even do it to begin with?

"How am I gonna face him?" I whispered, feeling my eyes water.

"Hey, now, none of that," Tim told me, pressing a bit more alcohol to the wound.

I bit my tongue as he did this, my fingers curling at my side.

"My chest hurts," I breathed, groaning as a wave of pain washed over me.

"Just calm down and you should be fine," he told me, slowly starting on re-stitching.

"Shouldn't that be done at a hospital?" I asked warily, watching as he threaded the needle.

"If ya wanna bleed out maybe," he grunted, before turning his head. "Hey, Ang!" Tim called.

"What!" Angela shouted from upstairs.

"Get me another towel!" he called.

With a groan, I heard Angela come downstairs. I didn't bother looking though as she went into the bathroom, before coming back out and tossing the towel to Tim.

"One more thing, Ang," he called.

"What now?" she sighed, flipping her hair out of her face.

It was the same dirty blond hair that Tim had, save for longer and slightly curly, bright blue eyes staring at me.

"Up in my room, in the bottom drawer, there should be a bottle of pills. Bring 'em down for me," he told her, glancing back over at me for a moment. "Hurry up cuz I need ta get this done."

I watched as she ran off back upstairs, glancing back over at Tim.

"They're pain pills," he explained. "They're strong, but they shouldn't mess with your head none," he told me.

"Mess with my head?"

"Yeah, certain pain killers can mess with your head if you're not careful," he told me. "You probably weigh about the same as Ang, so you should be fine."

**I truly apologize for the long wait everyone, I really do. I've been rather stuck and lacking inspiration. I REALLY need help to continue properly, but I'm not giving up. If ANYONE has ANY ideas, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. You do NOT have to have an account to review. So PLEASE REVIEW. I really need that bit of help. Anyway, sorry if it's a bit short, but I thought that leaving it at the end of this one was a good point. I plan to start work on the next chapter, so please REVIEW or MESSAGE me.**


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